The Texas Longhorns (7-1) host the Florida Gators (4-4) in Austin on Saturday. This will be the first meeting between the two schools in about 84 years. Steve Sarkisian’s Texas, no.5 in the CFP rankings, will look to avoid an untimely upset against an upwards-trending Gators side that now knows their coach is staying put next season. According to one CFB analyst, it’s the Longhorns’ quarterback that could potentially hold them back.

During a segment in his “Always College Football” podcast, Greg McElroy raised the question- Will Quinn Ewers get back on track? “Since returning from injury against Oklahoma, Quinn Ewers has struggled to kind of get back to his pre-injury self. In the three games since, he’s 81st out of 129 qualified quarterbacks in QBR. [It is] just not good enough. He’s thrown four picks also. He only had two picks in the three games prior to the injury”,he said.

Redshirt junior Quinn Ewers has had a tumultuous time with injuries. After missing time last season with an AC joint sprain, he suffered another injury this season, back in Week 3. Ewers returned in Week 7 from his “oblique strain” while Arch Manning held it down in his absence. However, he hasn’t quite played to his standards for one reason or another.

McElroy expanded upon what style of quarterback Ewers has played during this run. “At some point, he’s gonna have to open things up downfield. [I mean] This dink and dunk, catch and run is great against lesser competition. But if Texas wants to get where they want to go, I think they’re going to have to open things up and start pushing it down the field a lot more often”. 

Ewers’ hesitation to throw downfield could be viewed in two ways- an issue with confidence or a fear of re-injury. Steve Sarkisian seems to be deciding out of Ewers’ hands. The turnover troubles would call for more subdued play calling. However, a team with National Championship ambitions will eventually need more from its quarterback position. With who his backup sitting in the wings is, perhaps the pressure is getting to QB1.

Manning continues to breathe down Ewers’ neck

When Quinn Ewers went down with injury, there was a sort of morbid excitement within the crowd. Not for Ewers’ ill-fortunes, but for an opportunity to witness golden boy Arch Manning. Arch didn’t disappoint, as he garnered 5 TDs within 3 quarters of football. Even as he came down to earth for the rest of his way as a starter, fans saw enough to question their loyalties about who should start going forward.

Steve Sarkisian has cooled the discourse around a QB controversy. He’s spoken glowingly about the two’s relationship. How they’re “each other’s biggest supporters”. However with the recent performances of Ewers, one does wonder if he feels the heat. Even as the veteran Quinn is only 21 and insecurity can inadvertently seep in. Sarkisian has maintained that Arch’s time is not now, as he continues to add pieces around him.

Saturday is a great opportunity for Ewers to thwart any naysayers and put up a performance. Whether he feels at 100% yet physically, protecting the pigskin would be a step in the right direction. A step that the Gator’s defense didn’t allow Carson Beck to take last weekend. Oddsmakers have Texas as -21.5 favorites at home.