How do quarterbacks fare during their third season in Steve Sarkisian's offense?

Texas received welcome news on Thursday when sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers announced he would return to the Longhorns for the 2024 season, the program’s first in the SEC.

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The announcement was welcome for a number of reasons. Obviously, it means Texas will have a third-year quarterback at its disposal for its first season in a challenging new conference. Second, it served as an indication that Steve Sarkisian would be back on the Texas sidelines in burnt orange, something that never seemed to be a major concern but was a lingering question in light of Nick Saban‘s retirement from the Alabama head coach position and Sarkisian’s connections to both Saban and the Crimson Tide (Friday social media posts from Sarkisian himself also dispelled any notion that he would succeed the legendary head coach in Tuscaloosa).

Taking all that into consideration, the fact is Texas will have Ewers in his fourth year of college football and his third season in Sarkisian’s offense for the 2024 campaign. On the occasion Sarkisian, whether as a head coach or play-caller, had a third-year quarterback, here’s what he was able to do.

2011 Keith Price – Washington

Price was a member of the Huskies’ 2009 class that signed letters of intent knowing Sarkisian was head coach. He redshirted in 2009 before seeing action sparingly in 2010. Price was the starter in 2011, his third year in the system, and posted quality numbers for a 7-6 Washington team that went 0-12 in 2008.

Price was 242-for-362 for 3063 yards, good for 8.5 yards per attempt. He had 33 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Three different Husky receivers caught 41 passes and had over 500 yards and six touchdowns. UW’s offense was buoyed by running back Chris Polk‘s 1488 yards of offense, but Price did his part for the Huskies.

Production dipped for Price during his 2012 campaign. As a redshirt junior for another 7-6 team, Price was 263-for-432 for 2728 yards and 19 touchdowns over 13 interceptions. Bishop Sankey was the engine for the offense at running back with 1439 yards, but both Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Kasen Williams had over 800 receiving yards and at least 69 receptions.

Price’s play returned to its 2011 form in 2013. He was 233-for-352 for 2966 yards and 21 touchdowns over six interceptions. Credit is due again to Sankey, who accounted for 2174 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns, but Price capitalized on what the strong running game opened up for Sarkisian’s offense.

Not only is Price unique in that he enjoyed fourth and fifth seasons in Sarkisian’s offense, but until Ewers’ declaration Price stood as the only quarterback coached by Sarkisian as a play-caller to reach a third season in the system.

However, there are a few other notable year twos in Sarkisian’s time leading an offense.

Sarkisian first became the primary offensive play-caller in 2007 for USC after Lane Kiffin left the Trojans for the Oakland Raiders. For that year, Mark Sanchez was in his redshirt sophomore season. 2008 was Sanchez’ redshirt junior season.

2008 Mark Sanchez – USC

2008 was Sarkisian’s second season as offensive coordinator under Pete Carroll, though it’s worth noting at this point in their careers the offensive philosophies of Sarkisian and Kiffin hadn’t yet evolved to their current forms. Both were still novel branches off the Norm Chow tree.

The starting job was all Sanchez’s in 2008. He led the Trojans to a 12-1 final record, the Pac-10 title, and a Rose Bowl championship while completing 241-of-366 passes for 3207 yards and 34 touchdowns over 10 interceptions. Only a 27-21 setback suffered in week three at Oregon State kept USC from another unblemished season.

Sanchez parlayed his campaign into being selected fifth overall by the New York Jets in the 2009 draft.

2020 Mac Jones – Alabama

After redshirting in 2017, seeing rare action in 2018, and backing up Tua Tagovailoa for most of 2019, Jones took over as starter in 2020. He fended off true freshman five-star Bryce Young and was handed the reins for what would be Sarkisian’s second and final season in Tuscaloosa.

Jones was the triggerman for one of the best offenses in college football history. He was 311-for-402, good for an astonishing 77.4 percent completion percentage. He totaled 4500 yards and 41 touchdowns with just four interceptions, dishing deep passes to Heisman winner DeVonta Smith plus other star wideouts John Metchie and Jaylen Waddle on the Crimson Tide’s way to its most recent national title.

Jones was drafted 15th overall in the 2021 draft after finishing third in Heisman voting.

2023 Quinn Ewers – Texas

Ewers is in the same company as Sanchez and Jones thanks to having a second year in the system. For the Longhorns in 2023, he guided one of the nation’s top offenses to a 11-1 regular season, a Big 12 Championship, and an appearance in the College Football Playoff despite missing two games with a shoulder injury.

Ewers was 272-for-394, good for a 69 percent completion percentage, tallying 3479 yards and 22 touchdowns over six interceptions. He also added five rushing touchdowns.

Upon announcing his return for the 2024 season, Ewers entrenched himself as a preseason Heisman contender and is likely one of the top prospects in the 2025 NFL draft.

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When he takes the first snap versus Colorado State in September, he’ll join Price as one of two players to reach a full third season in Sarkisian’s offense.