Texas coach Steve Sarkisian once told the media that he would never entertain the possibility of inserting Arch Manning situationally during games where junior starter Quinn Ewers is healthy and able to play. His allegiance to Ewers was proved directly after the starter's rocky opening against Oklahoma led to a 34-3 win.
When previously asked if Manning and Ewers could play during the same games purely based on talent, Sarkisian said, "When I was a starter, I never wanted the backup coming in the game, even for a play. So I've got respect for a guy who's a starting quarterback and the rhythm that is needed to play with. So, no, that's not something I've ever entertained."
"He [Manning] wants to learn. He can learn from others. But his development, I think, has probably been the biggest key. From where he was a year and a half ago when he first got here in spring practice to the way he played last weekend. It's a credit to his work ethic."
Ewers returned to the Longhorns lineup after a four-week injury layoff. He missed two games during that time, during which the freshman Manning stepped in. Manning won both of those games, maintaining the Longhorns' undefeated status and elevating them to the No. 1 ranking in the nation.
The Texas starter admitted to a slow beginning in his return game with Manning's dad in attendance but eventually found his rhythm, completing 20 passes for 199 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He gave Texas the lead with a seven-yard pass to Gunnar Helm in the second quarter and sealed the deal with a one-yard rushing touchdown with five minutes remaining on the clock, making it 34-3.
“A rough start, but overall, I think we did a good job of overcoming some adversity early,” Ewers said after the game. He stressed the importance of returning during a Red River rivalry game, calling the atmosphere "unbeatable."
Despite his solid performance, the 199-yard total was his second-lowest of the season. Ewers produced fewer passing yards only in the 56-7 blowout win over UTSA.
In that game, the Longhorns leaned heavily on their ground game, rushing 23 times for 187 yards, reducing the need for Manning to air it out. Sarkisian chose to stick with Ewers as his starter against the Sooners despite public pressure to insert Manning .
Both quarterbacks have now played in four games this season, and each yields comparable statistics, making Sarkisian’s decision a win-win situation for the Longhorns. Through four games, Manning has thrown for 901 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions, with an 87.5 QBR.
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His standout performance came against Mississippi State , where he completed 26 passes for 325 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing touchdown. Ewers has accumulated 890 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions, with an 82.9 QBR, which ranks 11th among college football starters.
His most dominant showing was in Texas' 52-0 shutout of Colorado State, where he completed 20 of 27 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns despite an early interception in the first quarter.
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