The NCAAF playoffs kicked off with the first round, and one of the top contenders left no doubt, advancing to the next stage. Steve Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns dispatched the Clemson Tigers without hesitation and will now face Arizona State. Quinn Ewers silenced any doubts about his performance, leading his team to a brilliant display.
With an unmatched solidity across all departments, the hosts gave their rivals no opportunity and secured the victory with a 38-24 scoreline. Texas was able to shake off the stigma of last season, where they were eliminated in the semifinals, and Ewers made it clear what this victory means for his team.
“Yeah, I think it motivates the entire team,” Ewers said. “Us being so close last year, a couple plays away from going to the National Championship, and then who knows what happens. But you can’t live in that dream. We just try to go 1-0 each and every day, each and every week, and then see where that gets us.“
Quinn Ewers has recently been at the center of discussion due to his underwhelming performances in recent games. As a result, head coach Steve Sarkisian had to make a decision on who would be the starter between him and Arch Manning. Ultimately, the HC placed his trust once again in his starting QB for the season.
Texas quarterbacks Arch Manning (16) and Quinn Ewers (3) on the field before the start of the first round College Football Playoff game between the Texas Longhorns and the Clemson Tigers on December 21, 2024 in Austin, Texas.
After this important victory, the Longhorns will now face Arizona State on January 1st in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. Both the coach and his coaching staff will have enough time to recover their players, both physically and mentally, and prepare for this crucial matchup against the Sun Devils.
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Sarkisian praised Ewers’ ability in the red zone
The recent criticism directed at Ewers did not influence his coach’s decision-making, as he consistently maintained that he would be his starting quarterback. To silence the doubts, the QB delivered an exceptional performance, and his coach praised him after the game.
“I thought it was a heck of a touchdown pass and read by Quinn and Gunnar that was a little bit of an adjustment to Gunnar’s route predicated on the coverage that we weren’t quite anticipating,” Sarkisian said. “But that’s two guys that trust one another. You could feel Quinn’s trust for Gunnar, so all that was great.”
Ewers and Helm were two of the most pivotal figures in the game, forming a connection rarely seen before. Sarkisian knows that when these two are in sync on the field, his team gains a distinct advantage over their opponents.
Texas tight end Gunnar Helm (85) makes a 19-yard touchdown catch in the end zone during the first half of the first round College Football Playoff game between the Texas Longhorns and the Clemson Tigers on December 21, 2024 in Austin, Texas.
Sarkisian has confidence in Ewers’ decision-making
Without a doubt, one of the keys for a quarterback to perform at his best is having a coach who not only trusts his talent but also gives him the freedom to make decisions on the field. Sarkisian understands this and made it clear to the press.
“What was interesting about it, I think it was maybe two days before the game, we gave him that look, and we were anticipating it could be one or another call, and we gave him the look and we were giving it to him early, so he was checking it really early, and I said, they might not give it to you this early, and we had a motion on it,” Sarkisian said.
“I said, you might have to check it after the motion and then check the play. Sure enough, it happened tonight. He motioned on Davis and then he saw it and then he checked it and got to the run. That’s just time together, time on task, he and I, and him trusting when we tell him certain things like that it might happen that way, him trusting it and then executing it. Kind of a cool moment because that’s having a three-year starter who’s been in your system is very comfortable doing that type of stuff,” he concluded.
