Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian didn’t hesitate to stand by Quinn Ewers as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback, even after a brutal offensive showing in their 30-15 loss to No. 5 Georgia. Despite mounting pressure from fans calling for freshman Arch Manning, Sarkisian made it clear post-game that Ewers remains the leader under center.
“Quinn’s our starting quarterback,” Sarkisian said firmly. “There’s no debate.”
To be fair, even elite quarterbacks would have struggled against Georgia’s relentless pass rush, which dismantled Texas early on. However, Ewers’ slow start was particularly alarming, as the Longhorns found themselves trailing 20-0 by the second quarter.
On Texas’ first six drives, Ewers went 6-of-12 for just 17 yards with an interception and a lost fumble, as the offense managed only 15 total yards. He hesitated in the pocket, held the ball too long, and resorted to checkdowns that Georgia’s defense easily smothered.
“It’s always hard whenever you start out the way that we did and I did,” Ewers admitted. “But we stayed poised and never gave up. Even when it looked like they might pull away, it still felt like we had a chance to get back in it.”
Sarkisian decided to pull Ewers with 4:40 remaining in the first half, opting to give Manning a shot to shift the momentum.
“At that point, I just wanted to get Quinn into the locker room, let him reset, and see if we could find some rhythm in the second half,” Sarkisian explained. “That’s why we brought in Arch for a bit—it wasn’t a permanent switch.”
Unfortunately for Texas, Manning couldn’t fare much better against Georgia’s defense. The freshman completed just 3-of-6 passes for 19 yards and lost a fumble, showing the steep learning curve that comes with playing at this level.
After halftime, Ewers returned to the game and found some rhythm, leading two touchdown drives. However, the Longhorns ultimately fell short, turning the ball over on downs four times in the second half, including on their final three possessions.
Ewers finished the game 25-of-43 for 211 yards but was plagued by another slow start—the second consecutive week he’s struggled to get going early. While Texas escaped with a win over Oklahoma last week despite those issues, Georgia’s defense proved far less forgiving.
Despite calls for change, Sarkisian reiterated that Ewers would remain the starter moving forward, including next week’s matchup against Vanderbilt. A bounce-back performance is essential for Texas to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive.
“We’re still in a good spot,” Ewers said optimistically. “Obviously, this loss hurts, but it’s not the end of our season. We’re 6-1, and everything we want is still in front of us. We just need to regroup and finish strong.”
Texas now faces a pivotal stretch as they aim to prove their resilience and keep their playoff dreams intact. For that to happen, Ewers must find consistency—and fast.
