Texas Football: Jerrod Heard out for spring with shoulder sprain

Texas Longhorns quarterback Jerrod Heard is out for the rest of spring practice as the door is wide open for Tyrone Swoopes to win the starting job.

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Charlie Strong announced Jerrod Heard will miss the rest of spring practice with a sprained shoulder. Strong said Heard fell on his throwing shoulder and said, “If we were going to go longer he would be back.”

There is no timetable for his return but Strong added, “he’s going to be fine.”

The rising sophomore appeared in 12 games, making 10 starts for the Longhorns who regressed to a 5-7 record in the second year for Strong in Austin. Heard completed 57.9 percent of his passes as a freshman for 1,214 yards and five touchdowns and five interceptions.

Heard won’t be missing a ton of practices with the Texas football spring game scheduled for April 16 but the door is open for Tyrone Swoopes to take advantage of an increase in reps and what should be more action in the spring game.

The rising senior has starting experience and 34 career touchdowns when you combine his passing and rushing statistics.

With first-year offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert running a system that will look very similar to the one run by Baylor, Swoopes will be given the chance to see if he can make the necessary throws and have the mobility to thrive in the system.

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It won’t be a big window of opportunity for Swoopes but he has to take advantage of the opportunity that is presented in front of him because when Heard comes back at full health in the summer, last year’s starter could take the job and run away with it.