Quinn Ewers Taking on Hype Man Role During Absence: 'It's The Player He Is'

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers was seen encouraging his teammates on the sideline during a fourth-quarter huddle in their 51-3 win over ULM on Saturday.

Sep 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) talks with head coach Steve Sarkisian before the game against Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Watching the Texas Longhorns soar past the ULM Warhawks on Saturday, first-string quarterback Quinn Ewers stood on the sideline sporting his burnt orange jersey, still in questionable condition following the oblique strain he suffered against UTSA the weekend prior.

Despite being absent from the starting lineup, as backup quarterback Arch Manning took the reins against ULM, Ewers was still mentally and physically present for his teammates throughout the entire game.

The ESPN+ broadcast showed Ewers hyping up the team during a fourth-quarter timeout huddle, revealing a candid moment of the junior quarterback taking on his role as a leader despite being injured.

Take a look:

That's my Quarterback🤘🏻 pic.twitter.com/1qj9ETq6ll

— Chris Bennett (CB) (@chrisgb002000) September 22, 2024

Standing beside him and sharing the adrenaline was senior defensive back Jahdae Barron, who said during Monday's media availability that Ewers is a player teammates can put their confidence toward and look to for motivation.

"Quinn came in, it was just that juice level, the excitement that he had for everybody playing, and then him just rooting on Arch the entire game and stuff like that," Barron said. "We love that type of thing from a leader, and we love Quinn as a leader, and he has that role, and we trust him. He was just hyping us up there. And, you know, I'm having a good time enjoying the moment."

Having played alongside Ewers ever since he arrived at Texas, Barron has been able to witness his growth firsthand. Barron said that the group huddle showed what kind of a teammate he has been on and off the field, and that he consistently puts the guys first over himself.

"It's just the player he is, no matter the situation that he's going through," Barron said. "He's a team guy, and he's for the team, and he's not a 'me' guy."

Senior offensive lineman Jake Majors recited that that moment also served as a glimpse of the "swagger" that Ewers brings to the program's environment.

"You don't usually see, you know, a quarterback who's hurt, call up the team at the fourth quarter and just get us hype like that. That's the type of swagger we have," Majors said.

It's still unclear whether or not Ewers will return for Texas' first scheduled SEC matchup against Mississippi State this weekend, with head coach Steve Sarkisian continuing to mark him as questionable but also not announcing the starter just yet.

Whatever the case may be, Ewers' teammates know that he'll be in their corner for many more hype huddles and words of encouragement as the program begins its eight-week journey through conference competition.