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Steve Sarkisian reveals Quinn Ewers’ role in Texas touchdown runs

FaceProfileby:Thomas Goldkamp•12/22/24
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Steve Sarkisian (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

Texas knocked off Clemson 38-24 in the first round of the College Football Playoff in large part due to an unstoppable run game.

The Longhorns leaned on it throughout the afternoon, with two different running backs topping the 100-yard mark rushing. But it wasn’t just the running backs who helped propel Texas to its success.

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“We really challenged them on the run game,” coach Steve Sarkisian said. “From the opening meeting getting ready for the ballgame to the intent in which we practiced, I thought we had a good plan. I thought Quinn (Ewers) did a great job. On both Jaydon Blue‘s touchdown runs, those were audibles by Quinn to that run.”

That the quarterback audibled on Blue’s touchdown runs (of 38 and 77 yards) says a lot. Texas clearly puts a lot of trust in him.

And for Ewers to execute so cleanly in a huge spot was pivotal for Texas.

Sarkisian had made it a point to stress the run game and its importance going into the College Football Playoff.

“I always put up what it takes to win each game, and I cover it from a special teams standpoint, an offensive standpoint, a defensive standpoint and then a team standpoint,” Sarkisian said. “And one of the first bullet points I put up in this room was ‘run to win.’ That we needed to run the football to win this game, and we’re going to need to run the football to advance in these playoffs. That’s what playoff football is about.”

By the time the game ended, Texas had piled up 292 yards on the ground. The Longhorns averaged 6.1 yards per carry.

That’ll win a lot of games.

So will having a quarterback that knows how to get into the right looks and get the team ready to roll. Quinn Ewers did that to perfection for Texas.

“So, one, him handling the run game, and then, two, that mechanism at the line of scrimmage of getting that check and then blocking it really well to spring him on those two runs,” Sarkisian said. “So there’s a lot that goes into the run game. We always say the run game takes all 11, and all 11 did it tonight.”