Steve Sarkisian opens up on the Texas quarterback competition
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian knows he has a big decision at quarterback for 2022. His two options; the returner in Hudson Card and the newcomer in Quinn Ewers.
“Clearly, they are at different phases of their development,” said Sarkisian. “Hudson Card needed to develop his comfort level in their system in year two. For Quinn Ewers, it was simply learning the system.”
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It’s been a battle since spring ball began. Sarkisian sees the upside in both signal-callers, and believes the competition will only make them stronger.
“Quinn and Hudson are in a great battle right now,” said Sarkisian. “Hudson has got a little bit more experience and has been in the system for a year. His confidence level is really high, and I’m excited for him. Quinn is a very talented young man. Extremely coachable, great teammate. So, I love where we’re at. I think inevitably at some point in the season, we’re going to need both those guys to help us win a championship. But we’ll find out who it’s going to be in Week 1, and we’ll go from there.”
It’s a good problem to have when you’ve got two highly-rated and talented quarterbacks to choose from in the QB room.
“I think two things that have stood out to me, in both scrimmages that we’ve had thus far, both guys have played really well,” said Sarkisian. “I’ve been very impressed with their playmaking ability, their ability to take their shots. Not that every throw is perfect, but they’ve been really effective on third down. Both guys have used their legs well.”
Card has the extra year of experience in the system to benefit him, while Ewers is becoming a fast learner.
“I think Hudson, naturally some of the game management things come really natural to him just having been doing it with us,” Sarkisian said at the 2022 Big 12 Media Days last month. “I think Quinn is a very quick study. There’s things that come to him that are new or a situational thing that comes to him that is new. But he really takes the coaching and tries to apply it the next time out. And I think both guys have really earned a lot of respect of their teammates in their approach to their preparation and then ultimately their ability to execute.”
“In the end, from where that position is today from where we were a year ago, I’m really pleased,” said Sarkisian. “I just think we’re at a place right now where we’re playing very good football at that position.”
Does Sarkisian have an idea of when he’d like to name a starting signal-caller for 2022?
“I have an idea in my mind, but I’m not going to tell you guys.”
