Steve Sarkisian Shares Latest on Quinn Ewers' Status vs. Oklahoma

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers has missed back-to-back games due to an abdominal injury.

Sep 28, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) leaves the field after the 35-13 victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron E. Martinez/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Aaron E. Martinez/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

AUSTIN -- Coming off the bye week, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian won't name Quinn Ewers the starter vs. Oklahoma just yet.

When speaking to the media Monday ahead of the Red River Rivalry, Sarkisian said that he will continue to monitor Ewers' status after a two-game absence but clarified that he would play if the game was right now.

"Quinn worked last week for three practices. He practiced again today. I thought he looked good coming off the bye. I think if anybody benefited from the time off, it was probably him. We're going to monitor him daily, just to kind of see how he continues to progress. But I feel good about how he was today. I feel good about him going Saturday, but that remains to be seen. ... If we had to play today. sure (he would start) but again, that's why it's important that we monitor him daily, because I want to see how he responds to extended work and what that looks like, to make sure that he's as healthy as he can be to perform."

In three appearances so far this season, Ewers has gone 58 of 79 passing for 691 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions.

Sarkisian was also asked if his reluctancy to outright name Ewers the starter was due to gamesmanship, but admitted that he's not hiding anything from the Sooners.

"It's just me being honest," Sarkisian said. "I sleep better when I'm honest."

After suffering the abdominal injury during the first quarter of the win over UTSA, Arch Manning took over, starting back-to-back games in victories over Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State.

Should Manning have to enter at any point against the Sooners, Sarkisian remains ultra confident in his ability to keep the offense running.

"I have no hesitation with Arch going in the game," Sarkisian said. "I think he's proven that to us over two-and-a-half games of football, that he's really played in and competed in, that he can run our offense and he can be successful."

No. 1 Texas and No. 18 Oklahoma will kick off from Dallas on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT.