The Texas Longhorns face their toughest challenge yet on Saturday as they host the Georgia Bulldogs in a high-stakes showdown. The Horns are determined to remain undefeated in their inaugural SEC season and cannot afford any distractions. On that note, head coach Steve Sarkisian had a conclusive answer to the starting quarterback dispute between Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning.
Quinn Ewers returned to the ‘burnt-orange’ huddle on October 12th during the 2024 Red River Shootout. Though Ewers admitted a discomfort with his performance, Texas manhandled Oklahoma and cruised to a 34-3 victory. Arch Manning watched from the sideline and didn’t get any playing time during the blowout.
As the No. 1 Longhorns prepare for their highly anticipated clash with the No. 5 Bulldogs—widely regarded as one of the biggest games of the college football season—the buzz around the quarterback situation continues. Manning’s rise during Ewers’ absence has sparked debate.
Sarkisian was crystal clear when asked about the possibility of a quarterback change ahead of the Georgia game: “I’m not even going to answer that. I don’t know what the question is. Next question,” Sarkisian said, per Sports Illustrated.
Sarkisian has reiterated Ewers is the Longhorns quarterback for this season and nothing will change that. Coach Sark has even stated he doesn’t plan to give Manning much more game reps. Manning’s time will come next season, but 2024 is all about Ewers in Austin.
The debate, by the numbers
Ewers entered the season as a top contender for the Heisman Trophy in the NCAA, but an injury derailed his campaign, causing him to slip in the rankings. Meanwhile, Arch Manning, a five-star recruit and one of the most talked-about names in college football, has only elevated his stature with his performances during Ewers’ absence.
Since Ewers’ injury, redshirt quarterback Manning completed 70.5% of his throws for 901 yards and nine touchdowns to two interceptions. The Longhorns offense did not lose any gear with him at the helm. Moreover, it looked better than it did with Ewers to start the season. However, his inexperience did show, with a couple of turnovers.
On the other hand, Ewers has completed 72.2% of his attempts for 890 yards and nine touchdowns and three interceptions. both quarterbacks have posted near-identical numbers, but Sarkisian has made it clear that Ewers is the man for the job. Texas is built to win with either player, leaving opponents to pick their poison when facing the Horns.