Kirby Smart Believes Texas QB Quinn Ewers & Carson Beck Are Similar In One Key Area

The Georgia Bulldogs are preparing for a major challenge against Texas Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) passes the ball against Oklahoma Sooners during the Red River Rivalry Football Game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, TX on Saturday Oct. 12, 2024. / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 1 Texas Longhorns and the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs are primed to face off in an epic clash of powerhouses on Saturday.

Both teams are elite at nearly every position on both sides of the ball. Both teams have top-tier head coaches, and both teams are experience in big-game environments.

Perhaps most importantly, however, is that the Longhorns and Bulldogs are also equally equipped at the most important position on the field with two of the nation's best quarterbacks in Quinn Ewers and Carson Beck.

But according to Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, there is one thing that sets Beck and Ewers apart from the rest of the pack - their respective abilities to perform under pressure.

"The games (Ewers) has played in, there (are similarities to Beck) in terms of knowledge, understanding of their offense, protections," Smart said. "It doesn’t seem pressure affects him much. He seems like he has really good composure … they both have the ability, if something goes wrong, to get you out of a bad play, and typically avoid catastrophes. That’s what both quarterbacks do and (those are) the similarities that they seem to have.”

Throughout his three year career in Austin, Ewers has faced no shortage of big tests. It started with his matchup against the Alabama Crimson Tide in Austin in 2022, where - despite being knocked out the game early - he did not shy away from the moment, as well as a blowout of OU.

Last season, that continued, with Ewers marching into Bryant-Denny Stadium to beat Alabama, and guiding the Longhorns to a Big 12 Title and College Football Playoff berth.

This year has been much of the same, with Ewers shining in his biggest moment yet vs. Michigan, and leading another blowout over the Sooners.

Meanwhile, Beck has a very similar resumé with Georgia, and has been in a variety of big stages against Alabama, including an SEC championship game, and led the Bulldogs to big wins over ranked Tennessee, Ole Miss, Missouri, Kentucky and Clemson teams over the last two seasons.

Not to mention, like Ewers, Beck is considered one of the most physically talented passers in the nation.

“Like I said earlier in the week, Carson has the ability to do all of that," Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said. "He’s got big-time arm talent. He’s got great pocket presence. Yet, as you’re trying to defend all that down the field, you still have to worry about the advantage throws, the receiver screens, the things of that nature where they can get completions and move the ball down the field.”

So who will have the edge? That will be tough to say. There are too many similarities and other factors at play to make a definitive call at the QB position.

One thing we do know is that neither quarterback will shy away from the moment, which should make for an epic show between two future NFL QBs on Saturday night.