Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian called quarterback Quinn Ewers “questionable” for Saturday’s game against Mississippi State. Ewers, who sustained an oblique strain during the Longhorns’ 56-7 win over UTSA, returned to practice on Monday, but Sarkisian remains unsure if their starter will be ready to go this weekend.
“I would say if I had to put a report out, he’d be questionable for Saturday,” Sarkisian said Monday, via Joe Cook of On 3 Sports. “We’ll see how he goes throughout the week and monitor how he responds to tomorrow coming off of today’s practice.”
Sarkisian broke down that he wanted to see Ewers string together multiple strong days of practice before giving him the start.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns congratulates Quinn Ewers #3 after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide 34-24 at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 09, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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“He’s got to do enough to show me he can play,” Sarkisian said, via Cook. “I know that’s probably not the answer you wanted, but that’s what I mean. We’ve got a game plan. Can he execute the game plan? I hate to pare it down to that but that’s really the truth. I want to make sure he’s healthy enough to play at a high level. Can he go operate the game plan we have in place for him?
Sarkisian added: “That’s why I need to see how he responds from today’s work, and then what it looks like on a Tuesday then a Wednesday, which are pretty heavy days for him. Then, how he rebounds on a Thursday, so on and so forth.”
Ewers was unable to play during the Longhorns’ victory over Louisiana Monroe. With Ewers out, Arch Manning earned his first career start for Texas. The nephew of Super Bowl champions Peyton and Eli Manning helped Texas earn a 51-3 win over the Longhorns.
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Manning was far from perfect in his first starting opportunity. The 19-year-old went 15-29 for 258 yards, and two touchdowns as well as two interceptions. He did not play as well as he did the week prior, when he came in for Ewers in stupendous fashion throwing five touchdowns and also running for a 67-yard touchdown.
When Ewers has been healthy this season, he has completed 73.4 percent of his passes for 691 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions.
Even if Ewers is unable to play on Saturday, No. 1 Texas should be able to earn a win over the 1-3 Bulldogs this weekend. The Longhorns will likely want their more experienced quarterback healthy for the two games after when Texas faces No. 21 Oklahoma and No. 2 Georgia.
