Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian hinted he would go with junior quarterback standout Quinn Ewers for the rest of the season over Arch Manning. The Texas coach has faced public pressure to prematurely start the nephew of NFL brothers Peyton and Eli Manning but is sticking to what previously made the Longhorns the No. 1 ranked team in the country.
In the Longhorns’ gritty 27-24 victory over Vanderbilt, Ewers showcased his trademark arm strength and playmaking ability with three touchdown passes and 288 yards through the air. His performance was also spoiled by two interceptions, each with its own concerns.
The first occurred in the opening quarter on a tipped pass and was chalked up to a bit of bad luck rather than poor decision-making. The second was a late third-quarter error, as Vanderbilt’s Miles Capers intercepted Ewers as Texas held a too-close-for-comfort 10-point lead in the game.
Despite the turnovers, Sarkisian backed his quarterback like he’s done all season long, once again declaring that Ewers would continue as the starter. The Texas offense will look to build on the Vandy win as they prepare to host Florida on Nov. 9 at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game is slated to be broadcast on ABC.
“It was bad luck. He made a great read. Ball got tipped, interception. He came right back out, believed in his preparation and in the plan and really executed at a very high level tonight,” Sarkisian said of Ewers.
He then indirectly confirmed that Ewers would be the man going forward as the Longhorns advance through the season. “His ability to bounce back and show that resolve that he showed… I always say that the sign of the true character of a man is in the face of adversity. That was a lot of adversity for him,” he continued.
“It was a lot of adversity for us as a team coming off of last week’s game. If we can get that version of Quinn Ewers for the rest of the way, we’ll be OK.” The “rest of the way” for the Longhorns will see them finish their regular season in a series of key matchups that could define their standing in the SEC. Theyll face three unranked conference rivals in Florida, Arkansas, and Kentucky.
The hardest remaining test of paper for Texas’ regular season finale is against Texas A&M, currently ranked No. 10 in the nation. With a 7-1 overall record and a perfect 5-0 standing in conference play, the Aggies represent the top team in the SEC, followed by Georgia, with the Longhorns in third.
Ewers has 1,389 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, with six interceptions thus far. He has yet to exceed six interceptions in a single season, with a chance to eclipse the mark this year. His QBR of 68.4 places him at 42nd in college football after earning second-team All-Big 12 honors last season.
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