Report: Texas QB Quinn Ewers Expected to Start Against Oklahoma

Ewers has been sidelined the last two games because of injury but is reportedly expected to return against Oklahoma after a bye week.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers / Aaron E. Martinez/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Texas should have its QB1 for the Red River Showdown next week. 

The Longhorns and Oklahoma will meet at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 12 after both teams were able to rest during an open week ahead of the rivalry. The Sooners are utilizing the week to recover, as 11 players missed their last game against Auburn because of injury. 

The off week has also already been beneficial health-wise for the Longhorns, as quarterback Quinn Ewers is reportedly expected to start after being sidelined the last two games, according to OrangeBloods on Wednesday. The site reported that Ewers practiced with the first team on Tuesday. 

Ewers went down with a strained abdomen Week 3 against UTSA, forcing him to sit out wins against Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State. Ewers had emerged as a Heisman candidate before the injury. Through only two full games, he had thrown for 691 yards and eight TDs compared to two interceptions on 58-of-79 passing. That included a win over defending national champion Michigan. 

Redshirt freshman Arch Manning started in place of Ewers the past two games. Manning completed 71% of his passes for 901 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions while filling in for Ewers, who has started for Texas since the 2022 season after transferring from Ohio State. But now with Ewers expected to be back, this will be his team despite the success Manning had. 

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian remembered a time from his playing days at BYU when the coach wanted to put the backup in for a quarterback draw. Sarkisian denied the coach’s suggestion and ran in for a touchdown on that quarterback draw play call. 

“I’ve got respect for a guy who’s the starting quarterback and the rhythm that is needed to play with,” Sarkisian said during Wednesday’s SEC teleconference when asked if there’d be any special packages for Manning. “So, no, that’s not something I’ve ever entertained.” 

Manning being moved back down the depth chart negates the possibility of two freshmen quarterbacks going head to head in the Red River Showdown. Freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. made his first career start for the Sooners last week against Auburn. He’s presumably taken the reins as QB1 in Norman and will make his second start away from Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium against Texas. OU does have the luxury of an open week between Hawkins’ first two starts and before his first rivalry game, though. 

“It’s certainly a benefit for Mike and the offensive staff,” OU coach Brent Venables said. “Here’s your first body of work from last week. Here’s the good, bad and ugly. Here’s where we got to get better and so forth. We’ll have to be able to work on some issues and it’s an opportunity to get better, just practicing on the fundamentals and focusing on us, things of that nature. You would expect there to be great growth from his first game to his second game, you know, everything that takes place from a practice standpoint.”