Big 12 football: Texas quarterback job is open

Mack Brown says the quarterback job is open at Texas. And he expects the decision to be made not by coaches, but by players.

Incumbent Garrett Gilbert had an awful season in 2010, as the Longhorns went 5-7 and Gilbert threw 17 interceptions to just 10 touchdown passes. Now he’s battling Case McCoy and Connor Wood to retain the job.

“Obviously, the quarterback position has to be figured out,” Brown said Monday during Big 12 football media days. “There’s some anxiety with it, there’s some excitement. We’ve got to make some good decisions, we’ve got to make hard decisions, and we’ve got to make the decisions work.”

Amazingly, Brown said ball control was not the No. 1 criteria. Leadership is.

Texas head coach Mack Brown answers questions during NCAA college football Big 12 Media Days, Monday, July 25, 2011, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Matt Strasen)

“The No. 1 thing we want is leadership,” Brown said. “We want somebody that can get the swagger back and make sure the rest of the kids know who’s providing the leadership.”

Brown provided an example. In 2006, after Vince Young’s departure, Colt McCoy and Jevan Snead battled for the quarterback job. Brown did not declare a starter after spring practice.

“What we thought was fair was, who took over (in summer workouts),” Brown said. “Who had team chemistry? Who had leadership?”