A decision on Texas' starting QB will come Friday, per Steve Sarkisian
Speaking on his weekly Zoom call with local media, Steve Sarkisian said his decision as to whether Quinn Ewers or Arch Manning would start versus Mississippi State will come tomorrow.
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“We’re going to decide on the quarterback thing tomorrow,” Sarkisian said. “It won’t be a secret. We’re not trying to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes. Just want to give Quinn every opportunity to see if he’s ready to play and what he looks like. I’d say he’s improved every day. I think Arch has had a very good week.”
This season, Ewers is 58-for-79 for 691 yards and eight touchdowns over two interceptions. He was 14-for-16 for 185 yards and two touchdowns along with one interception before a strained abdomen forced him to leave the Longhorns’ win over UTSA. He sat out Texas’ game last week against ULM.
On the SEC Student Athlete Availability Report released Wednesday night, Ewers was listed as questionable.
Backup quarterback Arch Manning played in Ewers’ place both against UTSA and ULM. In Ewers’ stead against the Roadrunners, Manning was 9-for-12 passing for 223 yards and four touchdowns, including a 19-yard scoring toss to DeAndre Moore Jr. on his very first snap of the game. Manning tallied five total touchdowns against the Roadrunners, adding a 67-yard rushing touchdown on a zone-read keeper midway through the second quarter.
Manning earned SEC Co-Freshman of the Week accolades for his performance. It was the first time Manning had ever entered a game where the result was not totally determined. His previous appearances versus Colorado State in 2024 and against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State in 2023 were when the Longhorns had the game easily in hand.
Against ULM, Manning was 15-for-29 for 258 yards and two touchdowns along with two interceptions. For the season, Manning is 29-for-47 for 576 yards and seven touchdowns along with the two interceptions. He’s also added two touchdowns on the ground.
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Texas battles Mississippi State on Saturday at 3:15 p.m. Central at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
