SMU quarterback Shane Buechele was announced as the coverboy of the 2020 edition of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football on Monday. Even though we won’t decide for another year, it’s never too early to start looking ahead. 

When we pick a cover for the magazine, we look at a variety of considerations. Ultimately though, it comes down to one question: What is the biggest college football story in the state of Texas? For a school to be considered, you must have a strong season. You must have a compelling story coming back. You have to be on the upswing. 

Picking a cover is hard work. There are incredible stories at every program that plays football. Honestly, give me any school and I’m sure we could write an awesome feature and do a great cover. However, only one can stand apart as the biggest story in Texas. 

Here are five candidates who could grace the cover of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football in 2021.

Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M

There are a handful of options that could rise up from Texas A&M – including a few defenders – but Spiller presents the most immediately intriguing case. He nearly rushed for 1,000 yards as a true freshman in the SEC and will take on a bigger role after the Aggies lost multiple running backs over the offseason. Plus, we know he’ll be back in 2021 – he’s only a true sophomore. 

Pete Fredenburg, Mary Hardin-Baylor

Things really have to line up just right for a sub-FBS program to earn the cover, but Mary Hardin-Baylor has been the most successful program in the state over the past decade. The Crusaders have two national championships in 2016 and 2018, and are poised as always to get back to the promised land. 

Trevon Moehrig and Ar’Darius Washington, TCU

Did you know that Moehrig and Washington were rated as the top two safeties in college football a year ago by Pro Football Focus? No defender has appeared on the cover of the magazine since TCU’s Tommy Blake in 2007. The next generation of Horned Frog defenders could break that streak if the Horned Frogs post a truly elite defense in 2020. 

Alan Bowman, Texas Tech

When Bowman is healthy, Texas Tech is a different football team. He’s been fully cleared for months at this point and could benefit from the extra time off as well to get fully healthy. If he can reach another gear and the additional transfers integrate without issue, Texas Tech could be a surprise team next season and Bowman would get the lion’s share of the credit. 

Dana Holgorsen, Houston

Holgorsen’s first season at UH was a nightmare for a plethora of reasons, but he rolled with the punches better than expected. Now, his groundwork will be put to the test. The transfers are eligible, Clayton Tune is the guy under center and stars like Marquez Stevenson and Grant Stuard could cause some good mayhem. If Holgorsen can land this plane and compete for a 10-win season, he could land on the 2021 cover. 

Who do you think will be on the 2021 summer edition of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football? Tweet at us @dctf.