Longhorns Country

Longhorns Show Recipe for Success Without QB Quinn Ewers

With Ewers out with an injury, the Longhorns turned to their rushing attack to fuel their win against UTSA.

Connor Zimmerlee

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When Texas Longhorns' quarterback Quinn Ewers was hurt during the first quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide, speculation immediately began to swirl about how long he'd be out and how the Longhorn offense would operate without him. 

The answer to the first question is still to be seen, but in the Longhorns' 41-20 victory over the UTSA Roadrunners, an answer to the second question emerged. While Hudson Card did enough at the quarterback position for Texas, the Longhorns simply relied on their rushing attack to get the job done. 

After all, when you have a Heisman contender in Bijan Robinson with Roschon Johnson behind him, you would be foolish not to lean on them with your star quarterback out. 

Robinson again showed why he's a near consensus first-round pick in 2023 NFL mock drafts, rushing for 183 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries. His longest run of the night came on a 78-yard touchdown in the third quarter, which is also the longest touchdown run of his career. 

While Johnson didn't find the end zone against the Roadrunners on the ground, he was still a big part of Texas' success. He took 11 carries for 81 yards while recording three catches for 23 yards and a touchdown. 

As a team, the Longhorns outgained the Roadrunners on the ground a whopping 298 yards to 146. When you're missing your starting quarterback, and even your second-string quarterback is banged up, being able to run the ball goes a long way toward winning. 

Texas, of course, hopes that Ewers can return safely sooner rather than later, as the Longhorn offense goes to a different gear with him under center. However, until he does return, they have shown that the duo of Robinson and Johnson can be leaned on to win games in his absence.

You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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Connor Zimmerlee
CONNOR ZIMMERLEE

Connor Zimmerlee is a writer and reporter for the FanNation network. Zimmerlee received his Bachelor's of Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and graduated from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism with a Master's of Science in Journalism with a Specialization in Sports Media. 

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