Steve Sarkisian addresses how Quinn Ewers has responded mentally to injury

Texas survived against Houston, keeping the ability to control their own destiny toward the Big 12 Championship game. The road got a whole lot tougher though, with quarterback Quinn Ewers expected to miss some time. For the second consecutive season, Ewers is dealing with a shoulder issue and will not be able to play in multiple games.

Having injuries beginning to stack up on one another can be a deflating feeling. Ewers did not want to have another issue holding him out of games. But Sarkisian believes he wound up doing the right thing, understanding leaving the Houston game was the right call.

“There is a level of disappointment,” Sarkisian said. “Nobody likes to get injured. I give him a lot of credit because he tried to play. That last drive, he was not healthy. He tried to play through it. Clearly, he was limited. And to his credit, he knew ‘I don’t think I can do it.’

“When our trainers and our medical staff tell me the same thing — he tried. He knew what he was going to be able to give to the team wasn’t going to be good enough.”

The overall process of being injured is not new to Ewers, potentially giving him a more positive mindset moving forward.

During last year’s game against Alabama, a Dallas Turner hit caused him to miss three games before returning for the Oklahoma game following a bye week. Ewers was still there with the team, supporting Hudson Card as he took over as the starting quarterback.

Now, the same can be done this season with Maalik Murphy or Arch Manning. Ewers will surely still be involved on a daily basis, making sure the Texas offense is prepared to the best of its ability heading into every game he misses.

“He does have a little bit of the blueprint,” Sarkisian said. “He knows what it takes to keep himself mentally sharp, to be dialed into the gameplan, to support the other guys, and how they can lean into him. And being a great teammate for all of the guys.”

Sarkisian mentioned how Ewers is in the best shape of his life, which is a plus when talking about recovery timeline. Once the shoulder is healed, he should be ready to get back on the field right away.

Texas will be hoping it’s sooner rather than later and Quinn Ewers can close out his Texas career in a fitting way.