Even with a quarterback like former five-star Arch Manning nipping at his heels, Quinn Ewers is firmly “the guy” for the Texas Longhorns.
That has been the case ever since he transferred from Ohio State ahead of the 2022 season. He took some lumps in his first year and has struggled a bit with injury, but when he’s healthy — he’s arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the nation.
He certainly proved as much in 2023, throwing for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns with just six interceptions while leading Texas to the last version of the four-team College Football Playoffs.
Even not mentioning Ewers’ talent, though, head coach Steve Sarkisian recently told ESPN (h/t On3) that his quarterback’s greatest skill is his ability to lead.
“Without question, the area that stands out the most is his leadership,” Sarkisian. “This is his team.”
Ewers is going into year three in Sarkisian’s program and the expectations are high not just for him, but for the Longhorns in general. Texas is expected to not just be a CFP team, but the Longhorns could very well compete to win it all in 2024.
A big part of that is Ewers, though. The journey he took from a young transfer quarterback to the undisputed leader of Texas football has helped him earn his stripes as a commanding voice in the locker room
“This offseason, this year, he is much more vocal, much more in command of what we’re doing, and has earned our trust, quite frankly, to get us in and out of some things,” Sarkisian explained. “Just his command and his leadership with a lot of new receivers. You definitely see that.”
Texas, now in the SEC, will need Ewers’ leadership early and often in 2024. The Longhorns play at Michigan in Week 2, and they’ll have their first foray into SEC play on September 28 against Michigan State.