Steve Sarkisian credits more vocal Quinn Ewers for calling players-only meeting
Quinn Ewers underwent a physical transformation last offseason, ditching his mullet and close to 20 pounds of unnecessary weight. Then he led Texas to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance and, ultimately, was a play away from reaching the national title game.
Ewers has experienced a different kind of transformation this offseason. Entering his third year as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback, the Southlake Texas, native has grown considerably as a leader.
He showcased that growth last week when he called a players-only meeting.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian recalled getting a text from Ewers maybe 30 minutes after practice Thursday. The Longhorns had a team meeting scheduled for 2:45 p.m. the next day.
“He said, ‘Coach, do you mind if we have a players-only meeting at 2:35?'” Sarkisian said. “And I had never got that from Quinn, right? In years past, that might have been Jordan [Whittington] or Jaylan Ford or one of those guys, but for Quinn to be the guy that was calling a players-only meeting, I thought in that moment … that this guy is really stepping up and saying, ‘Hey, I want to have this meeting. I want to talk about two or three things with the guys to make sure that we’re really dialed in.'”
Sarkisian described Ewers’ rapport with his teammates as “tremendous right now” and said that players in the building look up to Ewers with “very high regard.”
While Ewers has exhibited the same work ethic he did last year, he’s definitely more vocal as a redshirt junior, according to Sarkisian.
“I can see that on the field as I’m out there, even in scrimmages, [he’s] picking guys up, talking to linemen, letting a pass rusher know that was a nice pass rush, things of that nature. He’s just much more engaged.
“But on the flip side, for me as the head coach, the fact that he’s calling that meeting, that’s different. That hasn’t happened the past couple years.”
Ewers is coming off a breakout 2023 season, during which he completed 69% of his passes, threw for 3,479 yards and posted a 22:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Ewers logged 300 or more passing yards six times, including in both the Big 12 Championship and the Sugar Bowl CFP semifinal. He also rushed for five touchdowns on the year.
It’s important to note that Ewers was sidelined for two games with an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder. That was a year removed from him missing three games after spraining his SC joint, in other words, where the sternum meets the clavicle.
If Ewers can stay healthy for a full slate of games, and he takes another step forward as a passer in Texas’ offense, he could very well end up in New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. That’s especially possible due to the enhanced connection between him and his head coach.
“I don’t even know if it even has to be in the film room. I can do it on the field with him now — we can talk about very subtle things, and those conversations are really quick,” said Sarkisian, who calls plays for Ewers and the Longhorns.
“Imagine in Year 1, I’m talking about something — an adjustment on one route, on one play, if it’s this coverage — and he was looking at me like, ‘What play is that again?’ And now when I say those things, we just did it on the field, he said, ‘Oh yeah, yeah, I got that. I’ll remind him.'”
Sarkisian said Ewers has a greater comfort level in the offensive system, as well as a greater comfort level with Sarkisian himself. They both understand each other better and are now thinking alike. Sarkisian knows why Ewers makes the throws that he does, even the ones that don’t end in completions, and Ewers has a heightened grasp of what Sarkisian is looking for.
“I think there’s just a lot of growth for the two of us, with one another,” Sarkisian said. “But I think that also lends itself to the dialogue, it’s very clean and it’s easy.”
Ewers is growing as a starting quarterback, not just in the offense but in the Texas locker room, too.