In this Longhorns football news and rumors update, Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong announced on Monday that starting QB David Ash will be sidelined indefinitely due to lingering concussion symptoms.
Per multiple sources, sophomore Tyrone Swoopes will be given the first nod as Ash's replacement. Ash is currently being listed as being held out for an indefinite period of time, as the increasing knowledge on the long-term damage of concussions will understandably force Texas to play it extremely safe with their top signal caller.
How does this affect the team going forward in 2014? Kevin McGuire of NBC's Pro Football Talk says there is reason to be concerned in Austin:
Texas is coming off another brutal loss to BYU — the second BYU beatdown in as many years — and the path looks troublesome in the coming weeks for Texas. Texas will play against Pac-12 contender UCLA (the Bruins have escaped disaster two weeks in a row) in Arlington, Texas this weekend before opening Big 12 play. Baylor and Oklahoma make up two of the first three Big 12 games for the Longhorns. While protecting Ash is never to be placed below the fate of the team, the Longhorns are starting to look at quite the uphill battle in order to become bowl eligible this season.
While the Longhorns are understandably worried after Saturday's 41-7 home loss at the hands of the Cougars, Ash's health will undoubtedly take precedence in this situation - regardless of the effect that it will have on Texas' win-loss record.
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