Quinn Ewers 'Super Thankful' For Time Spent With Ohio State Buckeyes

Quinn Ewers began his college career in Columbus with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Now, he has to get through them to reach the national title game.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) warms ups prior to the NCAA football game against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021 Tulsa At Ohio State Football / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Texas Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers did not start his career in Austin.

Instead, he chose to take his talents north and sign with the Ohio State Buckeyes after reclassifying from the 2022 to the 2021 class. Of course, that experiment didn't last long, as Ewers soon transferred to the 40 Acres, where he became the Longhorns QB1.

But why did Ewers leave Texas in the first place? After all, he was committed to the Longhorns early in the process when Tom Herman was still running the program.

Well, according to Ewers, it was because the NIL opportunities were much better in Ohio than in the Lone Star State at the time.

Sat., Nov. 20, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) practices on the sideline during a break in play in the second quarter of a NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan State Spartans at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua A. Bickel/Columbus Dispatch via USA TODAY Network. Cfb Michigan State Spartans At Ohio State Buckeyes / Joshua A. Bickel/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

"One of the main things was that the Texas legislature wasn't going to allow Texas high school football players to be paid," Ewers said. "Me and my family had a pretty big opportunity in front of us, we felt like it was a good decision for me to forego my senior year and enroll early at Ohio State. I had the opportunity to have some good money in our pockets as a family."

What might be more important than that though, is that Ewers got to learn from the best. Not only did he get to be in the room learning at one of America's top quarterback factories, but he also got to sit in a highly competitive room, led by now-Houston Texans star QB CJ Stroud. And he learned a lot from it.

Ultimately, however, Ewers chose to come back home to be closer to his family and his support system.

"I learned a lot when I was there under Coach Day and CJ Stroud," Ewers said. "I'm super thankful for that time that I got to spend there. I learned a whole lot. So I don't regret any decision I've made on going or anything like that. The main reason I went was I felt like I had a great relationship with the coaching staff, and they were winning a lot of games I wanted to go be part of something like that. The reason I came back to Texas was to be closer to the resources that I have and the relationships that I've built over time just being from Texas."

Texas Longhorns tight end Gunnar Helm (85) gives Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) a hat as they celebrate their win in the Peach Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Arizona State at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, Jan. 1, 2025. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Now, Ewers has his team on the verge of their ultimate goal - a national title.

The only problem? In order to get the Longhorns there, he must get through his old team in the Cotton Bowl on Friday - a game that will surely take the Longhorns' best performance of the year to win.

"We've got to go play our game, execute at a high level, have first and second down wins that will ultimately lead to shorter third downs and more manageable third downs. If we're able to do that, then the drive will continue to work down the field and then obviously we have to score in the red zone. Field goals, I don't think, will get it done."

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