Gabe Ikard does not see ‘elite quarterback play’ in Quinn Ewers

Through five games this season, Quinn Ewers has seen his NFL Draft and Heisman Trophy odds improve. He also has a marquee victory under his belt as he led Texas to a road win over Alabama in Week 2.

But in terms of his overall performance, it’s hard to say if he’s shown “elite quarterback play,” according to SiriusXM’s Gabe Ikard.

Ikard pointed out what Ewers does well, and that’s the deep ball. His ability to get the ball downfield is impressive. But when it comes to making highlight-reel plays that make your jaw drop, Ikard said Ewers hasn’t shown that yet. As a result, this week’s Red River Rivalry game against Oklahoma could present an interesting matchup.

“Now, I do think he’s got elite touch,” Ikard, a former OU center, told On3’s Andy Staples on Andy Staples On3. “I think his touch on some of the deep balls, touch on some of the throws, layering it in zone coverage is really, really good. But when you have the conversation like, elite quarterback play, that’s just not what I see from Quinn Ewers.

“Like, you watch — and comparing anyone to Caleb Williams is kind of silly — but you watch Drake Maye or even a guy like Sam Hartman, you see Bo Nix. You see these moments where you go, ‘Whoa. How did I mean how did he make that happen?’ You don’t really see many of those from Ewers.”

Ewers’ numbers this year have been impressive. His 1,358 passing yards rank third in the Big 12, as do his 10 passing touchdowns. So far, his biggest game came in that win over Alabama when he threw for 349 yards and two touchdowns to help Texas leave Tuscaloosa with the 34-24 victory.

What Oklahoma could throw at Quinn Ewers during Saturday’s rivalry game

This week, Ewers is preparing to go up against a defense that likes to bring pressure, and Brent Venables could bring some heat on Saturday. That’s one part of the game Ikard is interested to see when Texas and Oklahoma square off at the Cotton Bowl.

“He will make some mistakes when he feels heat, when he feels some pressure. And that’s where I’m interested in seeing how Venables, like his philosophy coming into this game defensively, like what that looks like,” Ikard said.

“How much pressure is he going to bring? Because if you bring pressure, Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell, to steal a Venables phrase, they will turn your lights out. So, I don’t know. That’s gonna be a fun cat and mouse between Venables and Sark, though. I can’t wait for that.”