What Texas players said following Horns' 52-0 win over Colorado State

The No. 4 Texas Longhorns opened the 2024 season with a resounding 52-0 win over Colorado State from DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday in Austin.

[Sign up for Inside Texas and get the BEST Longhorns scoop!]

Behind the arm of Quinn Ewers, a pair of Matthew Golden touchdown catches, and the defense pitching a shutout, the Horns handled the Rams and will now prepare for its date with Michigan next Saturday in Ann Arbor. Here’s what the players had to say following the win.

Quinn Ewers

On the strength in numbers of the wide receiver room:

“Yeah, I think it just goes to show the amount of depth that we have in that room, and how anybody’s really capable of filling in that role. And I’m excited to see how the year goes for all those guys.”

On the explosive first half on offense:

“I mean, yeah, we definitely threw a lot. And got to know, like I’ve been talking about for the past couple weeks, how long it takes them to get in and out of plays. I think we did a good job out there, you know, showing that. Do you need more footballs? Oh, yeah, no. Seriously, we need, like, two quarterbacks back there to throw all those guys.”

Ewers’ thoughts on the no-look pass?

“Yeah, that was cool. I was going to throw the flat, and then I saw everybody run out. It’s that shortstop background, I guess. I mean, every now and then, but not a whole lot, because I don’t want to miss it and get my butt ripped. But I guess some things fall your way.”

On Arch Manning‘s 2024 debut:

“Yeah, it was awesome. You know it was cool to get him in there and you know him show off his athleticism. So it was a cool play for him.”

Michael Taaffe

On the defense’s effort:

“As a team, there are always things to clean up, but I think we did a really good job. Effort is everything and is something you can’t coach; it just has to be in your heart, and I feel like everybody on the
defense in orange was flying around today showing that. For me, I need to clean up a lot of stuff, but I’ll get with Coach (Terry) Joseph this week.”

Jahdae Barron

Forcing turnovers and preparing for multiple positions:

“That’s something we talked about with Coach (Terry) Joseph preaches and big shoutout to Manny (Muhammad) and (Wardell) Mack. Coach Joseph just wants me to kind of trust the process and make sure and understand what position I’m at, you know, and things like that, and understanding I’m not playing safety, I’m not playing nickel. So it’s different ways to go about business, being that corner and just being patient and having good IQ and seeing things.”

Where did the sword come from? Whose idea was that?

“Coach (Blake) Gideon presented that to us yesterday, for a little turnover. So we’re supposed to stack the balls up to the top. We did not do that. So we have to get more turnovers, obviously, with the shutout.”

On his interception:

“It was a trick play, and just knowing you might get little gems T Joe (Terry Joseph) gives me, but just knowing and understanding what Coach Joseph told me, and having good eyes and being patient, and it’s going to come to me, and then just me trying to make a play on the ball.”

Matthew Golden

On his move to Texas:

“Really, just the connection with Coach Jackson and Coach Sarkisian, just building that connection. When I took my visit, it just, it felt like home in Austin, not too far from Houston. So, it was a no
brainer for sure.”

On his chemistry with Quinn Ewers:

“Coming to practice every day and working with Quinn with the defense giving us good looks, so just, just me coming out there trying to get better each and every day, me putting my best while working
with Quinn, it’s great. Quinn is an unbelievable quarterback. Having him as our quarterback makes everything easier.”

SIGN UP and ensure no Longhorns information gets by you: Join Inside Texas community today!

Talk about this story and many more with fellow Longhorn diehards on the Members Only forum.