Texas coach Tom Herman announced on Monday that Sam Ehlinger has earned the starting position at quarterback for the Longhorns opener on Sept. 1 against Maryland in Landover, Md. Texas photo

Sam Ehlinger will be the starting quarterback for Texas when the Longhorns open their season with Maryland on Sept. 1, UT football coach Tom Herman announced Monday in Austin.

Ehlinger, a sophomore from Austin, beat out former starter Shane Buechele, a junior from Arlington, for the starting position.

“Sam took the bulk of the reps with the ones (on Monday), Shane took most of the reps with the twos, so barring any kind of catastrophe between now and the Maryland game, that’s the way it’s going to be,” Herman said at his post-practice news conference.

Ehlinger shared the position as a true freshman with Buechele last season. Ehlinger passed for 1,915 yards and completed 58 percent of his passes. He also threw 11 touchdown passes and six interceptions, while rushing for 385 yards.

“(Ehlinger’s) throwing the ball a lot better,” Herman said. “He’s sitting in the pocket much more comfortably. Let’s make no mistake; Shane Buechele had a great camp, a great camp. He really didn’t do anything wrong.

“(We) felt (Ehlinger) gives you the best chance to win in the first game and we will see if we are right.”

Herman added there will be no rotation, but “if there’s a scenario where things are not going well, we may throw Shane in there for a spark.”

True freshman Cameron Rising, from Ventura, California, is not far behind Ehlinger and Buechele, Herman said.

“The talent is certainly there, just the speed of the game and experience,” Herman said. “We told him his future is bright.”

Herman would like to redshirt Rising.

At running back, Herman mentioned Daniel Young (sophomore, Houston Westfield), Tre Watson (graduate student transfer from University of California) and Keaontay Ingram (true freshman, Carthage) as the top three. Next in line were Kyle Porter (junior, Katy) and Toneil Carter (sophomore, Houston).

In the scrimmage, Herman said the offense looked good as they had “zero turnovers and one penalty in hundred and something plays.”

The Longhorns meet Maryland on Sept. 1 at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. and will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.

The Terrapins upset the Longhorns 51-41 in Herman’s coaching debut in Austin last year.

Texas’ home opener is Sept. 8 against Tulsa at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Kickoff is 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network.