These two TCU QBs will share first-team reps when fall camp opens Thursday

Signs have pointed toward Shawn Robinson being TCU’s starting quarterback this fall.

Coach Gary Patterson brought Robinson to Big 12 Media Days last month, and acknowledged he has the “edge” in the quarterback competition. But it’s not settled yet.

When TCU opens fall camp on Thursday, it’s expected to have Robinson and Michael Collins share first-team reps.

“We will alternate days in fall camp with Shawn and Michael getting reps with the ones and the twos until we feel one guy has separated himself and then give him the one reps,” TCU co-offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie told The Ruden Report last month.

That falls in line with what Patterson has said throughout the offseason – the quarterback position is still up for grabs.

Robinson is the odds-on favorite, considering he was the starting quarterback in TCU’s road win at Texas Tech last season, but Collins will get a legitimate opportunity by working with the first-team.

“You watch him throw and it takes about three throws to say, ‘Wow, he can really throw it,’” Cumbie told the website. “The two things that really stand out is, one, he obviously loves football. He’s very passionate about it. The other is he really relates well with the rest of his teammates. He has a quiet confidence about him.”

Collins transferred to TCU from the University of Pennsylvania and spent last season on the scout team. But he’s risen up the depth charts and impressed in the spring game, including a 15-yard touchdown pass to Taye Barber.

But, as stated, Robinson has the inside track to win the job. This is a player who is highly-touted, coming to TCU over offers from programs such as Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Michigan and Texas.

And he fared OK in his limited time as a freshman last season, completing 13-of-27 passes for 184 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for 159 yards on 23 carries.

All indications remain that Robinson will be the starting quarterback on Sept. 1 when TCU opens the season against Southern. But that’s subject to change.

Asked if Robinson would be the starter last month, Patterson said: “Oh, I don’t know. We don’t have a quarterback. I don’t judge quarterbacks till Saturdays anyway. We’ve got three or four pretty dang good ones right now, so we’ll see how that all works out.

“We’ll start on that when we come in August 2.”

This story was originally published August 1, 2018 at 7:30 AM.