Iowa State vs Texas football: Five questions with the opponent

Brian Spaen: Quarterback Tyrone Swoopes looks like he’s improving every week. What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in his game since being thrown into the fire after David Ash could no longer compete?

Oct 11, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Tyrone Swoopes (18) scrambles against the Oklahoma Sooners during the Red River showdown at the Cotton Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Kubiszyn: Two things stood out against Oklahoma. First, he stayed in the pocket. Young quarterbacks, especially running quarterbacks, tend to take off at the first sign of pressure. Swoopes was guilty of this early in the season. In the Oklahoma game, he stood tall in the pocket and went through his reads. The end result? A career-high 334 yards passing.

Probably the most important change involves his eyes. Swoopes has a tendency to drop his eyes when he is shifting in the pocket. The result is he loses the ability to find open receivers and he is forced to run, or dump the ball off along the line of scrimmage for a minimal gain. Last weekend he kept his eyes downfield as he moved around the pocket. This allowed him to find receivers breaking free. His first touchdown pass to John Harris was a result of him keeping his eyes up and finding Harris shaking free from his defender.

Swoopes looked like a different quarterback against Oklahoma. He was confident. This should serve him well the rest of the season.