Steve Sarkisian, Quinn Ewers impress Urban Meyer

No team has benefitted as much from a loss in recent memory as Texas has from a 20-19 home defeat at the hands of No. 1 Alabama. But with head coach Steve Sarkisian calling a strong game and transfer quarterback Quinn Ewers looking strong before getting hurt, Urban Meyer was impressed with what he saw out of the Longhorns.

Speaking on “Urban’s Take with Tim May,” the former Ohio State coach was complimentary of the way Texas attacked the Alabama defense and how Ewers — and then backup Hudson Card — played at quarterback. Meyer thinks it’s a sturdy foundation to build on.

“Well credit to Sarkisian and the staff at Texas,” Meyer said. “And we’ve always got to remember, the minute someone thinks, and I’ve heard Nick Saban say this, and I’ve said it, Ryan Day says it. The minute you start saying, or I hear people saying ‘Well they’re not very good.’ Careful. Texas has scholarship players. They just went through eight months of offseason. They have a very good coaching staff. Last year they struggled, but they’re good coaches. What are we talking about? Good players. Quinn Ewers looked great, and then he got hurt. The other guy came in and did good.”

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Specifically regarding scheme decisions, Meyer was impressed with Sarkisian’s play calling to keep the heat off his quarterback from a loaded Alabama defensive front. For the most part — outside of the play where Ewers got injured — it was a highly successful strategy.

“I saw — I think he’s a great play caller,” Meyer said. “I did a little segment on Big Noon about when Dan Mullen and I went to Florida, we were educated in the SEC. The defensive lines in the SEC are what separates that league. And you would always have 10 plays on your call sheet where you don’t block ’em. And those screens, those boots, those nakeds, those ways to get away from that defensive line, I thought he did a great job. He got the ball out. You know, the quarterback got hurt on a late hit that shouldn’t have happened. But other than that, he protected that quarterback and they did a good job.” 

Meyer, on the set of Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff, picked Alabama to win comfortably, but said it could be closer than expected. His fellow hosts on set slightly mocked him for the suggestion as a Bama blowout was the expected result from most.

“I was surprised when, if you remember I picked, I remember mine was like 35-10 and it might even be closer than that And a lot the guys on the set were like ‘Are you kidding me?’ And I’m like, ‘Wait a minute now.’ There’s 101,000 people here. It’s hot. Alabama had to travel, they’re getting up early,” Meyer said. “And Texas has been dealing with this, just getting blasted for years. Really in the last several months. And I thought they played hard. The fans were into it. What a great place that is. And it came down to a checkmate moment in that game.”