If there was any doubt about who will be the Tulsa quarterback in 2019, the choice seemed obvious during the Hurricane's Spring Game.

Zach Smith will be the quarterback when Tulsa plays at Michigan State in the fall, barring injury.

Smith and Keylon Stokes provided the only two offensive highlights of Tulsa’s 2019 Spring Game, as around 600 fans watched Smith complete laser bombs of 60 and 63 yards to Stokes.

Smith completed four of eight passes for 133 yards and no interceptions, while Stokes led all receivers with seven catches for 153 yards. The two touchdown passes were the only two offensive touchdowns of the game.

“Any time we have a chance to take a deep ball, we’re going to do it,” said Smith. “It felt great to connect on those deep balls, especially when the defense is dropping eight guys back at one time.”

Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery wasn’t going to say it, as he shouldn’t. Keep the competition going. Don’t give it to anyone. But make no mistake. It will be Smith.

“No I won’t make a decision now,” said Montgomery.

Most Tulsa fans have known that Smith, the 6-foot-3, 228-pound junior Baylor transfer who sat out last year, was the quarterback waiting in the wings. Having a resume where he completed 33 of 50 passes for 463 yards against OU will bring that type of expectations.

Smith, who Montgomery describes as “laid back,” doesn’t worry about expectations. He is just glad to be back playing.

“It feels good coming back after last year being in a live situation,” Smith said. “I think I made some good throws and did a good job.”

Smith is in a quarterback competition with sophomore Seth Boomer, who started the last eight games last season as a redshirt freshman. Although Boomer greatly improved over the course of last season, and is good competition for Smith, it is clear Boomer isn’t currently at Smith’s level.

Boomer and Smith both shared time working with the first team, with Boomer even starting the first series. Overall, Boomer played in four series and Smith played in three.

Two of Smith’s possessions ended in touchdowns. None of Boomer’s four resulted in touchdowns, but one ended in a field goal. His last one ended in a pick six. Boomer finished 12 of 21 for 66 yards.

On Smith’s other series, he was handcuffed with starting at his own 13-yard-line and went three-and-out. His first and last series resulted in the offensive excitement for the day.

To be fair to Boomer, he certainly wasn’t bad. He had his moments. But Boomer had his chance to make big plays.

One play in particular stands out. Boomer missed connecting with a wide open Sam Crawford in the right corner of the end zone for what would have been a 25-yard touchdown. Crawford caught the ball, but wasn’t close to being in bounds.

Stokes is looking more and more like his older brother, former TU great Keevan Lucas. Wearing Lucas’ old number 2, Stokes was spectacular. His last long catch was something to see, as it looked like Smith had overthrown Stokes into double coverage past Daiquan Jackson and Mike Garrett Jr., who had defended a long pass to Stokes on the previous play.

But Stokes made an incredible adjustment to the ball, exploding to reach it, catching it in stride before gliding to the end zone.

“We have to have great protection to make those throws, and I thought Zach made two good throws,” Montgomery said.

On defense, the highlight of the game was when junior linebacker Treyvon Reeves stepped in front of a Tulsa receiver and picked off Boomer, which resulted in him scampering 46 yards for a score where he finished it with a somersault in the end zone.

The scrimmage had its limitations, as do all scrimmages. They are basically passing drills, as lead rushers Shamari Brooks and Corey Taylor wore black jerseys without numbers, meaning, don’t hit them hard. And they barely played, combining for three carries for six yards.