To say that Quinn Ewers’ first season at Texas was underwhelming would be an understatement.
The former five-star quarterback that was ranked higher than Caleb Williams and held a perfect recruiting rating did not meet the expectations of those around college football. However, Ewers appears to be in a different mindset heading into 2023. Reports coming out of Austin during the spring cited his physical transformation and his newly found dedication to improvement.
His preparation and willingness to improve helped him silence the critics and quiet the noise surrounding the infamous quarterback battle. It also has generated confidence in how well the Longhorns can do in 2023; they are widely considered to be the front-runner in the Big 12. Some have even gone so far as to say they can crash the playoff.
One of the more notable people to offer support for Ewers is ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, a former Ohio State quarterback. He discussed Ewers and Texas on Wednesday at On3’s NIL Elite Series.
“Talking and listening to Texas folks off the air, it sounded like it was pretty obvious that Quinn and experience — think about what he’s been through. He went to Ohio State essentially as a senior in high school. Ends up going back, transfers to Texas back home, deals with a lot of scrutiny, and what that does is it hardens you.”
He continued saying:
“When you become a hardened veteran, you become a different guy. Not to mention how he played last year, there were some ups but there were some downs. He had to endure that. What you see now, even though he’s only in his first year getting done, is a guy that’s been through it. I think it allows him to play at a different level of maturity. Arch has probably got a really bright future, but for me, right now it’s Quinn Ewers’ chance. It’s his opportunity. It’s his team.”
Ewers is looking to be much more consistent with his accuracy and his footwork, which was identified as one of his bigger problems throughout last year. In 10 games, he completed 172 of 296 passes for 2,177 yards and 15 touchdowns with just six interceptions. Despite a couple games in which he flashed his dynamic skills, he struggled when throwing the deep ball.
Going into 2023, Ewers has a chance to showcase why he was once rated so highly, while helping Texas achieve its goal of contending nationally again.