MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Remember that anvil-to-the-chest that Kyzir White laid on Shane Buechele? Hard to imagine a pair of lungs being any more deflated than those of the Longhorns quarterback at that moment.
Though Buechele lost the football, and ultimately, the game to West Virginia, he rebounded from that collision and was on the field for the next Texas possession. That’s the brand of toughness Tom Herman can build a program around, and that’s why Buechele shows up on today’s segment of the Big 12’s Top 50 Players for 2017.
Herman declined to name a starting quarterback after spring ball, even though Buechele outperformed blue-chip newcomer Sam Ehlinger. That’s a wise move for a head coach charged with making a once-proud program proud again. No one entitled to a starting spot. Everything must be earned and perpetually maintained. That’s been the hard line from Herman so far, and Buechele isn’t immune.
He only missed throwing for 3,000 yards because Texas missed out on a bowl game, but then, Texas missed out on a bowl game because it lost to Kansas (a loss in which Buechele tossed three interceptions). Such mishaps won’t be tolerated this season, nor should they be as frequent with the sophomore gaining moxie.
Watch today’s Gold & Blue Lunch Report for our player rankings as we unveil Nos. 40-36.
Previous — Big 12’s Top 50 players: 45-41
41. Texas Tech receiver Keke Coutee
42. West Virginia linebacker Al-Rasheed Benton
43. Oklahoma receiver Jeff Badet
44. Oklahoma State linebacker Chad Whitener
45. Kansas running back Octavious Matthews
Previous — Big 12’s Top 50 players: 50-46
46. West Virginia receiver Ka’Raun White
47. Kansas State running back Alex Barnes
48. Oklahoma State safety Ramon Richards
49. TCU quarterback Kenny Hill
50. Kansas State receiver Byron Pringle