Kirk Herbstreit reacts to Steve Sarkisian starting Quinn Ewers over Arch Manning second half vs. Georgia

When Quinn Ewers struggled out the gates against Georgia, Steve Sarkisian made a quick switch to Arch Manning. Two drives for the second-year player before heading into the locker room where a decision would be required for the second half. Sarkisian is putting Ewers back out there to start out, hoping to find some momentum.

ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit reacted to Sarkisian’s choice, saying it’s one he agreed with. But Herbstreit does not see the quarterback — no matter who has been in there for Texas — as the problem. Finding a way to consistently block up front and get the run game going is what Herbstreit wants to see more than anything.

“Face it, this is not a quarterback — one’s good, one’s bad,” Herbstreit said. “This is about an offensive line getting whipped by Georgia’s defensive front. Go back to your original plan, you got to have confidence in your offensive line. You got to run the football. This is who offense is predicated on running the football.”

Manning has completed three of his six passes for 19 yards, somehow being the leading passer through two quarters. Ewers has just 17 yards on 12 attempts but did throw an interception. The first Texas turnover came after Ewers did not see a Georgia player coming off the left edge, hitting him, and forcing a fumble.

Before going into the halftime locker room, Sarkisian was asked about the decision to bench Ewers, saying he wanted to settle his quarterback down.

“I was just trying to settle Quinn down a little bit,” Sarkisian said. “Trying to give us a little bit of a spark. But we got to get out of our own way. We’re not playing very good as a unit right now. Thank God our defense is putting out some fires for us.”

Now going back to No. 3, Sarkisian is hoping an incredible come-from-behind win can take place in Austin with Ewers leading the way.