The time has come. Quinn Ewers had his chance, he had his era, he had his time. Texas needs to move on. Steve Sarkisian needs to move on. It is time for Arch Manning to become the Longhorns' go-to guy in the backfield.
Ewers has battled through injury after injury after injury. He led Texas to its first-ever berth in the College Football Playoffs last season. He has done a lot of good for the Horns. However, this season has knocked Ewers down a few times too many.
In the SEC Championship game against the Georgia Bulldogs, it was more evident than ever that Ewers had lost his confidence, his pocket presence, and his ability to scramble away from disaster.
The season won't get easier from here. In fact, the Longhorns' first-round matchup at home against the Clemson Tigers will undeniably be the easiest postseason matchup that Texas has for the foreseeable future.
Prepare for battle 🤘 pic.twitter.com/Sg8YY2A5Gi
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) December 20, 2024
Don't get me wrong, what Sarkisian has done with Ewers is respectable and admirable. Sticking by the guy you chose and the guy you have supported for years on end is the morally "right" thing to do. However, the morally right choices don't always lead to a deep run in the Playoffs – especially one that includes 12 of the best teams in the world.
Ewers' loss of confidence and his inability to run the ball out of the pocket spelled turmoil for the Texas offense in the conference championship game. The Longhorns already lost their star running backs, having a quarterback that can't run the ball is unacceptable.
Meanwhile, Manning can run. He's an athlete – through and through. He has the confidence, the swagger, and the awareness. He has the ability to run the ball down the field himself for a touchdown, much less make a deep pass without lofting the ball downfield for an interception.
It's time for Steve Sarkisian to hold up his hands and admit that Quinn Ewers just isn't the guy anymore and that it is time for the Arch Manning era to begin.