AUSTIN, Texas – Texas is going with sure and steady over swashbuckling. The Longhorns are sticking with David Ash as starting quarterback over Case McCoy.
Despite pulling Ash late in the game against Kansas, coach Mack Brown said Monday that Ash gets to keep his job for Texas' trip to Lubbock to play No. 20 Texas Tech (6-2, 3-2 Big 12) on Saturday.
"David's body of work has been pretty good," Brown said, adding that he "would not hesitate" to pull him for McCoy if Ash doesn't play well.
McCoy, a junior and the younger brother of former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, has shown a flair for delivering in clutch moments for Texas, but Ash has been one of the top-rated passers in the country this season.
Ash has struggled of late, however, with only one touchdown pass in the last three games. He had two interceptions against Kansas and Texas trailed late until McCoy rallied the team to a 21-17 win. McCoy's 1-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Grant with 12 seconds left was the game winner
"Case did an outstanding job. We're so proud of the job he did for us," Brown said.
The coaches discussed the quarterback situation on Sunday and decided Ash should remain the starter, Brown said.
Ash said he's happy that McCoy "saved the day" but remains confident as the leader of the offense.
"I don't need people to be confident in me to find my confidence," Ash said.
Ash and McCoy split time last season before Ash won the job outright in preseason training camp. Until Saturday, McCoy had seen mostly mop-up duty in Texas' first seven games.
McCoy came on late in a blowout loss to Oklahoma and threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. He was called on to win the game against the Jayhawks and the Longhorns escaped what would have been one of Brown's most embarrassing losses in 15 years.
On Monday, McCoy deflected questions about the decision to stick with Ash as the starter.
"I always prepare to be the starter," McCoy said, "and that's all I'm going to say about that.".
Ash has passed for 1,726 yards this season with 12 touchdowns but also has four interceptions in the last three games. Against Oklahoma and Kansas, he was 21 of 45 passing for 176 yards. Between those games, he passed for 276 yards against Baylor, which has one of the worst defenses in the country.
McCoy's heroics against Kansas almost didn't happen.
The first play of the winning drive was nearly intercepted when McCoy threw the ball straight to a Jayhawks defensive back who dropped it. It wasn't until McCoy hit Jaxon Shipley for 18 yards on fourth down that the Longhorns got moving.
McCoy has delivered in some big moments for Texas. His long scramble against Texas A&M last season set up the winning field goal on the final play to end a 100-year-old rivalry.
Even though he wasn't the starter, Brown told him he must be ready if called upon again this season.
"I'm proud of myself for the way I played at the end (against Kansas)," McCoy said. "I'm also proud of this team."
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.