QB play is the key to Texas success in year 1 of SEC

It may be the Texas Longhorns’ first year in the SEC, but the expectation on the Forty Acres remains to compete for a conference championship and Playoff berth.

Steve Sarkisian has assembled one of the best coaching staffs in America as proven by their work in the transfer portal this offseason. However, the key to the Longhorns’ success this season will boil down to the growth and health of third-year starting quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Ewers is widely projected as a first-round draft pick and one of the best quarterbacks in the country, but staying healthy has been an issue the last two seasons. Fortunately, Texas also has the best backup in football in Arch Manning in case of emergency. Now, with a lengthened season that includes a 12-team Playoff, depth has never been more important.

With the season just around the corner, 247 Sports highlighted the biggest strength for every team in the top 25. Brad Crawford of 247 Sports believes that the No. 3 ranked Longhorns’ quarterback room is their biggest strength.

“You could certainly go offensive line here for the Longhorns, but after Texas lost quarterback transfers Maalik Murphy to Duke and Charles Wright to Appalachian State, this offense still holds the most star-studded room in college football at the position with Quinn Ewers returning and Arch Manning — with supernova potential — behind him. Manning, despite being the top player in 2023, is seemingly content with being the Longhorns’ emergency option behind Ewers and understands that his time will come in Austin. That’s a testament to the level of buy-in at a program coming off its first College Football Playoff appearance that seems to be building considerable momentum under coach Steve Sarkisian. Considering the Longhorns’ offensive arsenal as a group topped our “sweethearts” ranking earlier this spring heading into the 2024 season, Ewers and Manning are going to have plenty of talent around them to flex a banner campaign through the air. And there’s no controversy on who will start, either.”

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