'The Natural': Why Texas Coach Steve Sarkisian Is Sold On QB Quinn Ewers

Steve Sarkisian is all-in on Quinn Ewers being his starting quarterback at Texas

Steve Sarkisian looks for plenty in his starting quarterback. Arm talent is one thing. Vision is another. One could argue having the ability to extend plays with the legs only adds another element to the fire.

All those traits are needed for Sarkisian’s quarterback in Year 2 at Texas, but the important quality he's looking for is belief. 

Sarkisian needs a quarterback the team can rally behind. The Horns need a passer who can look at the scoreboard and chuckle, rarely caring about the difference in points or time on the clock.

Texas needs a leader. Quinn Ewers provides that and so much more when commanding the huddle.

“The quarterback is the most important position in sports,” Sarkisian said Monday. “Not because of arm talent or (throwing) curl routes or how fast you can run. Part of it is, do you give the rest of your team, coaching staff, people a sense of belief?"

These two throws paint a perfect picture of Quinn Ewers at this point in his career #HookEm pic.twitter.com/eTOBGxm1t1

— Locked On Longhorns (@LockedOnHorns) August 17, 2022

The potential of Ewers certainly factored into Sarkisian naming him the Week 1 starter. Since his arrival from Ohio State in January, he’s done just about everything asked of a 19-year-old looking to become the face of a program that finished 5-7 a season ago.

Highlight throws through spring practice led to fans believing he was the top candidate to replace Casey Thompson. As fall camp began, Hudson Card, the initial 2021 starter, made sure to keep things close.

Entering the final week of camp, the feel around the program was that Card and Ewers were neck and neck in terms of the competition. Sarkisian said he had “a pretty good idea” of who had taken a slight lead prior to Saturday’s scrimmage.

Sarkisian wasn’t talking about a lead in terms of mechanics and accuracy. He was talking about a lead in the locker room. 

“Quinn naturally has that ability,” Sarkisian said. “And I think that's only going to continue to grow the more comfortable that he gets.”

In a sense, Ewers was folklore on the Forty Acres before even taking a snap. He initially committed to Texas under Tom Herman before flipping his commitment to Ohio State. He was being contacted for name, image and likeness deals while still at Southlake Carroll.

After the state elected to restrict high school athletes from profiting on NIL deals, Ewers reclassified, graduated early and headed to Columbus where he lost out to C.J. Stroud for starting reps. In the end, he returned right back to where it all began.

While Ewers might be one of the more recognizable faces on campus – bleached mullet and all – there’s a sense of humility to his demeanor. Senior receiver Jordan Whittington said that Ewers reminds him of his dad. Sophomore Xavier Worthy called him laidback and easy.

Sarkisian isn’t looking for perfection entering game week. Instead, he’s looking for comfort from his quarterback when things go awry.

“The biggest challenge is how far can he take his comfort level over the next five days, and then our recognition to make sure that we’re doing things offensively that he’s very comfortable with,” Sarkisian said.

Ewers won’t be playing with a full deck. Star transfer receiver Isaiah Neyor is out for the season with a torn ACL. So is veteran offensive lineman Junior Angilau. Sarkisian isn’t opposed to letting the five best offensive linemen play, meaning three true freshmen could all take the field at some point before the start of conference play on Sept. 24.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. A week after facing Louisiana-Monroe, Texas takes on No. 1 Alabama. Games against Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide defense are terrifying for seasoned vets with ample starts. Entering Week 1, Ewers has played in two live snaps, both of which were runs in a blowout.

But Sarkisian is a believer in upside. He, along with players and the coaching staff have subscribed to what Ewers can bring to the table. 

Now, it’s about getting him acclimated to only first-team reps before Sept. 3.

“The less thinking you do - and I use thinking because when you have to try to decipher the call and what I’m doing and graduate to using feel and reacting to plays, the better off you are as a quarterback,” Sarkisian said. “So we have to do a really good job as a staff getting through this week of really figuring out the things that he’s comfortable with and the things that he’s good at.”

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