ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Before the question was finalized, Steve Sarkisian gave the media a quick homework assignment. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers has won starts the last two seasons at Alabama and now at Michigan, following Saturday’s 31-12 victory.
“I’d love for you to research that for me,” the Texas head coach said, wondering who else had accomplished the feat. “Just do a quick Google and you’ll give me an answer in 30 seconds.”
Google and other historical databases later failed to find an answer. Notre Dame did it in 1979 and 1980, but with different quarterbacks.
Ewers is likely the first quarterback in the sport’s 150-plus-year history to win back-to-back games at the two winningest programs. In those two games, Ewers completed 65 percent of his passes for 595 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.
It’s time to pay respect to Quinn Ewers’ name. And I mean real, true respect.
It feels weird to say that. But despite the wins, despite the fact that he’s a favorite for the Heisman Trophy, and despite the fact that he was featured in a major Dr. Pepper commercial this season, we feel like we don’t really appreciate Ewers’ performance. We’re just waiting to see what comes next.
Walking through Texas tailgates before Saturday’s game, I counted more Arch Manning jerseys with the number 16 on them than Ewers jerseys with the number 3 on them. Texas fans gathered around the tunnel at Michigan Stadium in the final minutes of Saturday were asking each other and watching to see if Manning would play in the game. The view counts on every story and YouTube video about anything Arch-related are through the roof. The entire premise of the aforementioned Dr. Pepper commercial revolves around Ewers and the need for backup — “even if he has great hair and famous relatives.”
It’s time to stop and put it to bed for good. Enough of the jokes and the pranks. There is no quarterback controversy in Austin. There never was. There is always so much talk about the future – the present is not appreciated enough.
It was Ewers who finally put Texas back in the spotlight. It was Ewers who won at Alabama, won the Big 12 and made the College Football Playoff last year.
It was Ewers who kept Texas moving forward on Saturday, even when three offensive line penalties turned a first-down touchdown drive into a missed field goal. It was Ewers who led a six-play, 56-yard touchdown drive with a 22-yard touchdown pass. It was Ewers who kept moving in the pocket and helped Texas convert eight of 10 third downs in the first half. It was Ewers who kept the Longhorns one step ahead and never in danger, carrying the offense on his shoulders when only third- and fourth-string running backs remained in the second quarter.
“He just doesn’t let the noise of the crowd or the emotions of a game affect him,” Sarkisian said. “He keeps a clear head and focuses on what he has to do.”
It wasn’t always this way. Ewers’ first real road game of 2022 was a disaster – he completed 39 percent of his passes and had three interceptions in a blowout loss to Oklahoma State. But he hasn’t lost a road game since then and has won the last eight. His career numbers on the road are better than at home.
Sometimes it’s forgotten how much pressure Ewers was under from the start. A five-star recruit, he left Southlake Carroll High School in Texas early to enroll at Ohio State and make zero money, only to transfer to Texas after the season after barely seeing the field. Before Ewers had played a game for the Longhorns, Manning committed to Texas, leading to speculation about whether Ewers would transfer again or when he would finally cede the job to Peyton Manning’s nephew.
Instead, he took on the burden of being Texas quarterback – with all the politics, spotlight and Matthew McConaughey persona that comes with it – and led the Longhorns to a level they hadn’t reached in nearly 15 years.
Saturday’s dominating win was a reminder that Texas should be competing for a College Football Playoff spot and the national championship again this year. There are still hurdles remaining, like the Red River Rivalry game with Oklahoma, which the Longhorns lost last year, followed by a home game against Georgia and, of course, the trip to Texas A&M to close out the regular season.
But Texas once again looks like one of the best teams in college football. Forget the “Texas is back” jokes. Saturday showed us that the Longhorns aren’t going away, and that’s largely because of the quarterback.
As players and coaches sang “The Eyes of Texas” with thousands upon thousands of burnt orange-clad fans in the emptying Michigan Stadium, Ewers was still finishing up a television interview. He eventually jogged past the southeast corner of the stadium where the band was performing to wave his arms up and down before walking to the other side of the end zone to hug friends and family.
Texas fans raised as many “Horns Up” hands as they could as the Longhorns left the field through the tunnel, but as Ewers passed, the same fans who had been excitedly wondering if Manning would enter the game screamed “QUINN!!!” as loud as they could.
It’s time to consider Texas a No. 1 team. It’s time to consider Ewers the early Heisman Trophy frontrunner. It’s time to stop worrying about Arch and instead recognize that Texas has a quarterback who just accomplished something few, if any, players in college football history have ever done.
“You know, I made it to the playoffs without any help,” Ewers tells Fansville Sheriff Brian Bosworth in the Dr. Pepper commercial.
Maybe Ewers can do it again, and Texas could have the team that can win it all this time.
(Photo: Rick Osentoski / USA Today)
