Ahead of Quinn Ewers' first career start, Steve Sarkisian emphasizing trust in teammates, coaches

Back in his playing days at BYU, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian‘s first career start came at Air Force on September 2, 1995. Sarkisian was 25-of-42 with two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 38-12 loss to the Falcons.

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“It was an early kickoff at Air Force, and they were sacking me a lot,” Sarkisian said Monday about his debut where he was sacked six times.

What did Sarkisian rely on in that game? He mentioned he had a lot of trust in his head coach, Lavell Edwards, and other Cougar assistants who had helped fellow BYU quarterbacks to tremendous years. It worked out alright for Sarkisian; he finished the season with over 3400 yards and 20 touchdowns and improved between year one and year two in Provo, Utah.

Now 27 years later, Sarkisian will call plays for Quinn Ewers in the redshirt freshman’s first career start versus Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday. Just as Sarkisian had faith in his coaching staff, he wants Ewers to have faith in the Longhorn staff.

“I just instilled my trust in them that they were going to do everything in my best interest to play well,” Sarkisian said. “That’s the same thing I’ll say to Quinn. Allow us to coach you and trust the fact that we’re putting you in a really good position.”

Sarkisian understands that despite Ewers’ many talents, there are some limitations with what a redshirt freshman can do. After all, Ewers’ in-game experience is just a handful of snaps in a non-competitive game at Ohio State.

There will be some growing pains, but Sarkisian intends to do everything he can to run plays he believes Ewers can execute at a high level.

“I’m trying to navigate through the things that have really slowed down for him, and those are the things we’ll try to emphasize Saturday,” Sarkisian said. “Maybe some things he’s not quite as comfortable with, maybe we push that back a week. He appears very comfortable.”

Are there first-start jitters for Ewers? Is he prepared for the responsibility of being Texas’ starting quarterback? Does that make him nervous?

“I don’t know if it’s ‘anxious’ at all,” Ewers said Monday. “I’m just really happy to have the opportunity to go out on the field and have these great teammates.”

Throughout his media availability on Monday, just like in his Friday availability, Ewers emphasized he tries to remain even-keeled. He never wants to get too high or too low, but even without obvious outward expressions, Sarkisian knows where to look to find Ewers’ confidence.

“Quinn is not a ‘wear his emotions on his sleeve’ kind of guy,” Sarkisian said. “He’s a very mellow mannered, even-keeled guy which I like at the quarterback position. Yet, I can feel his confidence. You can almost see it in the decisiveness on the throws in certain throws.”

That decisiveness is likely what led Ewers to win the quarterback battle over Hudson Card, even with Card’s three years of experience in college football.

There will be trying times for Ewers in his first year at Texas. Whether it’s on the field this Saturday versus ULM, or next week versus Alabama, things never go 100 percent smoothly for first-year quarterbacks. Luckily for Ewers, one of the best running backs in America in Bijan Robinson will line up by him down after down. If not Robinson, then team leader Roschon Johnson, a solid back in his own right, will be by his side.

Who will Ewers be throwing to? A strong wide receiver corps led by Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington, with tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders there as an option. Those are the players Sarkisian wants Ewers to look toward when he needs assistance.

“Trust those guys, that they’re going to do their job, focus on your job, and trust the people that are connected to you on that night,” Sarkisian said.

No player may be more important in building that trust and helping Ewers acclimate to the speed of the game than Robinson.

“Having Bijan especially, being able to hand the ball off and if all else fails, just being able to give Bijan the ball and having those guys helps me out and gives me confidence,” Ewers said.

The last time Ewers played in the state of Texas was at the end of the 2020 high school football season, when his Southlake Carroll Dragons fell to Austin Westlake in the 6A Division I state championship game. Ewers said that game feels like yesterday to him, and in further trips down memory lane, he described how his family would gather around the television every Saturday to watch the Longhorns during his childhood.

In those days, Ewers likely envisioned himself as the Longhorn quarterback. That still is a part of the mulleted man’s process.

“I think visualization is a big key to success,” Ewers said. “If you visualize doing something, you won’t be surprised when it happens.”

When visualizing success against ULM, he knows it’ll require execution against a defense he said returns nine starters this season. When it comes time to start the game, Ewers will remain even-keeled.

But there will be some emotions nonetheless.

“I’m just excited to get back on the field,” Ewers said.