NCAAF News: Texas HC Steve Sarkisian makes something clear to Quinn Ewers, Arch Manning before SEC opener

The season for the Texas Longhorns couldn’t have started better. With a record of 4-0, they are emerging as serious title contenders. In the previous weekend’s game, following an injury to Quinn Ewers, Arch Manning made his full debut as the starting quarterback. However, HC Steve Sarkisian made it clear who will be under center for the NCAAF SEC opener.

After a serious injury in the game where the Longhorns defeated UTSA 56-7, Quinn Ewers had to be replaced by Arch Manning, who delivered a solid performance not only for the remainder of that game but also in the following matchup against ULM. Despite this, it’s still unclear who will remain the starter if Ewers recovers sooner than expected.

According to NBC Sports, the head coach made it clear regarding his stance on Ewers: “He (Ewers) has got to do enough to show me he can play. Can he execute the game plan?” Sarkisian said. “I want to make sure he’s healthy enough to play at a high level.”

“The beauty of it for Quinn and I is our time together (and) him having to come back from injuries previously,” Sarkisian said, regarding the experience both player and coach have in similar situations they are currently facing.

Quinn Ewers #3 of the Texas Longhorns watches players warm up before the game against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Austin, Texas.

The quarterback who started the early games for the Longhorns expressed his urgent desire to return to the field and help his team win more games, and it was Sarkisian who made his stance clear on the matter.

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“Him being honest with me, is in his best interest, in our best interest,” Sarkisian stated. “I’ll do everything in my power to put him in the best position to be successful if he plays. And if he doesn’t, what does that look like moving forward?”

What will happen next with Arch Manning?

On the immediate horizon for Texas is Mississippi, which will be the SEC opener for the Longhorns, and there’s still no clear decision on who will take the reins as the starter. The impressive level displayed by Manning during his playing time seriously challenges Ewers’ return.

Regardless, Sarkisian made it clear about what might happen with Manning and Ewers regarding the starting quarterback position for the remainder of the season.

“Arch believes in his ability and he’s going to take his (deep) shots. And we’ve reaped the benefits of it,” Sarkisian said. “But he’ll learn some of those explosive plays are checkdowns.”

Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns watches players warm up before the game against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Austin, Texas.

Sarkisian’s conviction about the team

In 2021, Texas announced its decision to join the Southeastern Conference. The Longhorns are set to face its first SEC opponent, Mississippi State, this Saturday. Last weekend, Texas earned the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll for the second consecutive week, turning them into a tough team; however, they will need to prove themselves against higher-ranked opponents.

In an interview with The Daily Texan, Coach Sarkisian expressed clear confidence in his players as they look ahead to what’s next: “Like I said, we believe in our formula for success and what that looks like. We respect that this is our first SEC game at home, and we’re going to embrace that side of it, but it’s not going to affect the way we prepare for the game and go about our business.”