Film room: Charting every Quinn Ewers throw versus ULM

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers made his first collegiate start on Saturday, playing the entire first half and a good chunk of the third quarter in the Longhorns’ 52-10 win over Louisiana-Monroe.

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Ewers fought off a shaky start that included an interception on his second career throw to finish 16-of-24 for 225 yards and two scores.

Aside from two throws that counted as laterals, one to Xavier Worthy and one to Keilan Robinson, here’s every pass from Ewers’ debut.

Throw 1: Incompletion intended for Xavier Worthy

With a 7-0 lead, Ewers tries to hit Worthy on a deep ball, but the single-high safety makes a good play. The throw is probably a touch too late but look at Worthy’s route. This is a slot fade that is designed to put the safety in conflict. Credit to the Warhawk defensive back, he makes the play despite the conflict on a throw that was either short or a second too late.

Throw 2: Interception

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian understood there would be good and bad with a freshman quarterback, and this is an example of the bad. Ewers sees Worthy get open, but waits to throw until half the field shrinks to a quarter of the field. There are plenty of ULM defenders there by that point, and the Warhawk DB makes a nice play on the ball to turn Texas over.

ULM only got a field goal out of it, and Ewers settled in after this play.

Throw 3: 5-yard pass to Ja’Tavion Sanders

Ewers finds Sanders, who finished as the Longhorns’ leading receiver on Saturday, for a fourth-down conversion. Ewers is flushed from the pocket and moves toward open grass to find Sanders running a drag route.

One non-Ewers thing to note: Watch left tackle Kelvin Banks recognize his man is dropping into coverage and pick up the blitzer.

Throw 4: 19-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Tavion Sanders

Analysis on this play from Saturday night.

Throw 5: 5-yard pass to Xavier Worthy

As Sam Acho said on the TV call, “that play is basically like a long handoff.”

Ewers hits Worthy, who gains a couple of yards on the swing pass with Tarique Milton and Jordan Whittington blocking for him.

Throw 6: 7-yard pass to Gunnar Helm

Ewers sees the running back is covered on the wheel route, which is the first read on this play. He senses pressure and rolls out to find Helm, who is the fourth read on this play.

Throw 7: 43-yard pass to Casey Cain

The offensive line indicates this is an RPO. Ewers makes the throw to Cain against a defender in off coverage. Cain makes a move then rumbles down the field for 43 yards.

Throw 8: 8-yard pass to Bijan Robinson

Play-action passes in Sarkisian’s offense typically have a deep-to-short progression. Sanders coming in at the tail end of the clip is how to identify that on this play. Ewers looks for Worthy deep, then looks for Sanders, then checks it down to Robinson to pick up yardage on first down.

Throw 9: 19-yard pass to Xavier Worthy

A picture-perfect glance RPO. The ULM linebackers and even a safety drop down to play the run. Ewers sees it, pulls the ball, then delivers a pass to Worthy to set up 1st-and-goal.

Throw 10: 1-yard pass to Ja’Tavion Sanders

The clip may not show it, but this is something Ewers should have recognized. Sanders sets up off the line of scrimmage, putting five players in the offensive backfield. That’s why the flag was thrown, but considering it was 2nd-and-goal from the 24, ULM declined the penalty and Ewers’ was able to pad his stats with the completion.

Throw 11: Incompletion intended for Xavier Worthy

The ULM middle safety bites on a shorter route, leaving Worthy 1-on-1 with a corner with outside leverage. If this throw is a few yards closer to the goal post, it’s probably a touchdown.

Throw 12: 16-yard pass to Bijan Robinson

Good sell on the screen for a first down that helps the Longhorns move closer to field goal range.

Throw 13: Incompletion intended for Bijan Robinson

Robinson slips on his route, and this play is over before it can even start.

Throw 14: Incompletion intended for Xavier Worthy

Another missed connection between Ewers and Worthy, who is the outside receiver on this play. Sanders and the No. 2 receiver run shorter routes, setting up the chance for Worthy to run between the two deep-third defenders. He does, but the two defenders play the look decently well and offer a small window for the completion. Ewers’ throw is somewhat errant and falls incomplete, though again it looks like he made the proper read.

Throw 15: 10-yard pass to Ja’Tavion Sanders

Another fourth-down conversion to the tight end. Sanders has plenty of room to operate but catches the ball short of the sticks. He’s able to make a play, get the first, and move the Longhorns into field goal range.

Throw 16: 11-yard pass to Jordan Whittington

ULM is defending the end zone and content to allow Texas to move up for a closer field goal. Ewers hits Whittington with an accurate throw past the sticks and near the sidelines.

Throw 17: Incompletion intended for Bijan Robinson

This is a throw with a little too much on it that better teams are capable of intercepting. This should have been a pitch-and-catch for a first down.

Throw 18: 4-yard pass to Jordan Whittington

RPO bubble screen where Ewers delivers a good ball. Good blocking from Cain to help Whittington reach the line to gain.

Throw 19: 25-yard pass to Ja’Tavion Sanders

One of the few plays that asked Ewers to improvise on Saturday night. He does a good job of drawing in the defender, staying behind the line of scrimmage, then finding Sanders after he missed a chance to block a couple of Warhawk defenders.

Sanders then showcases some of his open field ability.

Throw 20: Incompletion intended for Jordan Whittington

Watch Ewers’ feet. He’s ready to throw this pass before Whittington turns for the ball. Even though the window closes, Ewers still tries to make a throw into a tight window his receiver can’t handle.

Throw 21: 16-yard touchdown pass to Bijan Robinson

Sometimes it’s as easy as giving No. 5 the ball. Ewers is the beneficiary of the Texas running back’s ability and records his second touchdown pass.

Throw 22: Incompletion intended for Xavier Worthy

Another deep shot for Worthy where the two can’t connect. Ewers has time to make a throw to No. 8, who has an inside release on his defender, but the throw falls incomplete. It looks like interference from the TV angle, but a replay shows Worthy simply fell. Ewers got a bit too excited on this throw, he gets up on his toes and tries to make his arm do all of the work.

Throw 23: 11-yard pass to Jordan Whittington

A good throw in between defenders for a first down.

Throw 24: 25-yard pass to Ja’Tavion Sanders

The throw of the night from Ewers to Sanders that made the tight end gawk upon seeing a replay. The last throw of Ewers’ night, too, and a good one to end on.

Overall, there was some good and some bad for the redshirt freshman signal-caller. He’ll need to develop a connection with Worthy, but for the most part Ewers made the right reads and good throws in his Texas debut.