The Texas Longhorns finally saw their undefeated streak come to an end in a tough matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs. Quinn Ewers struggled with his performance to the extent that head coach Steve Sarkisian decided to replace him with Arch Manning for a couple of snaps. Following the game, it was Sarkisian himself who addressed the situation.
The Longhorns, who entered the game against Georgia with a perfect 6-0 record, faced a disappointing outing, falling 30-15 to the Bulldogs. Quinn Ewers struggled to find the end zone in the first half, which prompted head coach Steve Sarkisian to replace him for several plays.
“I’m sure Quinn wasn’t the happiest with me that he got taken out for a couple of series,” HC said in his postgame press conference. ” I had to make a decision on what I felt was best for the team and for him at that moment. Sometimes, the players don’t always see that, but when he takes a step back and looks at it, he’ll understand I was trying to do what was in his best interest.“
Sarkisian reflects on self-criticism after the loss
Following the defeat to Georgia, head coach Steve Sarkisian addressed the media in a press conference, emphasizing the dynamics of the game against the Bulldogs and the challenges of facing such a formidable opponent.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns reacts during the second quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Austin, Texas.
“It was a tale of two halves. It was just a very difficult first half, offensively. We just didn’t play our best football. They had five sacks, three turnovers and 17 points off those turnovers. We forced two turnovers and got zero points off of it. We couldn’t get out of our own way,” Sarkisian stated.
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Despite the defeat, Sarkisian expressed pride in the efforts of his players, acknowledging their determination and resilience throughout the game: “I told the team I was really proud of their ability to come into the locker room at halftime, regroup and compete in the second half. They showed the heart of a champion and really battled themselves back into the game.”
Ewers and his return after being benched
The Longhorns‘ defeat wasn’t the only story of the day; the moment head coach Steve Sarkisian decided to send Arch Manning onto the field while benching Quinn Ewers also garnered significant attention. When asked about this pivotal decision, Sarkisian commented on how Ewers responded after his time on the bench, emphasizing the importance of his mindset moving forward.
“We saw the competitor in Quinn really come out in the second half,” Sarkisian said. “He’s definitely been coachable with us, and he’s got a lot of good football ahead of him this season.”
