Charlie Strong didn't come out and say Tyrone Swoopes is going to win Texas' quarterback competition over redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard, but the head coach seemed to stop just short of making that statement about his junior quarterback Monday.

After Texas' eighth practice of the spring Strong was asked if he feels he'll have an answer at quarterback by the time spring ball wraps up one week from Saturday at the conclusion of the annual Orange-White spring game.

Strong's response indicates Swoopes leads the competition, perhaps comfortably.

“Oh you'll have an answer because right now Jerrod is playing better, but if you look at Tyrone, he's been out there, he's been consistent and he's doing what we've asked him to,” Strong said. “Right now you just hope you can get both of them better so that by the time we start the season you have two guys right there who can go play for you.”

If Swoopes does indeed win the job, Heard's continued improvement is still huge when it comes to the overall health of the quarterback position on the Forty Acres.

Last season Kansas State and TCU were the only two Big 12 programs who were able to use their starting quarterbacks the entire season. The odds suggest Texas will need both quarterbacks, and the changes in the offense allow the Longhorns to use both quarterbacks without having to drastically change the plan of attack. It's a plan that can also involve true freshman Kai Locksley when he arrives.

The bottom line is that Swoopes, who had his peaks and valleys in first full season as a starter, appears to be the man to beat in this competition. But there's a reason Strong continues to mention Heard's development as something that must continue; the Longhorns need to have more than one option at the position, which would put them in a better position than they were in last season.