Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Let’s look at a few of the biggest storylines heading into the game.
When the Texas Longhorns scheduled the UTSA Roadrunners, I am not sure they expected the game to be this significant. Continue reading “10 storylines heading into Texas vs. UTSA matchup”
Steve Sarkisian is keeping the quarterback situation close to the chest this week.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke to the media on Thursday ahead of the Longhorns’ matchup with UTSA this weekend.
After getting banged up at the quarterback position against Alabama, Sarkisian stated Quinn Ewers, Hudson Card and Charles Wright got “healthier and better” this week at practice. He did not name a starter to protect his game plan for Saturday’s matchup.
Sarkisian gave lots of praise to UTSA quarterback Frank Harris. He is an experienced player with extensive knowledge of the offense. Harris can create lots of stress on opposing defenses with his arm talent and mobility.
UTSA is a veteran team who will offer Texas a significant challenge. Jeff Traylor is one of the best up-and-coming coaches in college football. The Longhorns need to leave the Alabama game in the past and take care of business against the Roadrunners.
Here is a look at everything Sarkisian discussed with the media on Thursday.
Texas could win the next three games with defense, regardless of who plays quarterback.
If there is any offensive takeaway from the Alabama game, it’s that Texas can win quite a few games with quarterback Quinn Ewers. Winning without him could be difficult.
In the two drives Ewers took the field, Texas scored ten points. The Texas offense was not as explosive or efficient without Ewers who passed for 134 yards on two drives and 12 attempts.
In backup quarterback Hudson Card’s defense, he had to battle an ankle injury for much of his time offensively. Card made some huge throws against Alabama and, one could argue, played well enough for Texas to win.
Texas will still need to find a way to make up for the loss of explosiveness Ewers provides. Let’s look at what Steve Sarkisian could do to ensure Texas’ chances of winning.
Which quarterback has the edge on Saturday?
After coming close to pulling off the upset, the Texas Longhorns are once again set for battle at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. However, for the first time in 2022, they will have a quarterback other than Quinn Ewers leading the charge this season.
Ewers suffered a shoulder injury early on against the Alabama Crimson Tide that will sideline him for up to six weeks per some reports. This puts [autotag]Hudson Card[/autotag] back into the starting lineup as the starting quarterback.
On Saturday it will be Card and the Longhorns taking on instate foe, Texas-San Antonio. The Roadrunners are coached by former assistant Jeff Traylor. Their quarterback is senior Frank Harris. Harris led UTSA to a 12-2 record and the Conference USA championship. This is his fourth year in the program.
This game between Texas and UTSA will be the first-ever meeting, the Roadrunners began playing football in 2011. Their next meeting will happen in the 2024 season.
Here is how they break down:
| Hudson Card | vs | Frank Harris |
| 6-2 | Ht | 6-0 |
| 195 | Wt | 205 |
| RS-Soph | Class | Senior |
| 18 | Comp | 60 |
| 27 | Att | 88 |
| 66.7 | Comp% | 68.2 |
| 182 | Yards | 696 |
| 6.7 | YPA | 7.9 |
| 0 | TDs | 6 |
| 0 | INTs | 1 |
Longhorns Wire takes a look at how they compared situationally in 2021:
It wouldn’t be Alabama-Texas if the Tide didn’t injure a Longhorn QB.
Quinn Ewers was lighting up the Alabama defense until a red zone shoulder injury might have ended his day. Sound familiar?
After landing a haymaker throw to Xavier Worthy, Ewers scrambled in the pocket on a red zone play before throwing the ball away. A late hit by an Alabama defender forced Ewers onto his shoulder and sent him to the locker room.
Ewers looked like a seasoned veteran on the two drives. The freshman signal-caller went a scorching 9-for-12 for 134 yards passing.
One incompletion was forced from Xavier Worthy’s grasp as he fell in the end zone. Another was a missed pass interference call in the end zone.
Hudson Card will have an opportunity to erase last year’s performances from memory. Albeit, it would be an unfortunate end to a promising start for Ewers. Moving forward, Texas knows it has a star in Quinn Ewers if healthy.
Quinn Ewers walks off the field after taking a big hit pic.twitter.com/ByzwkrNi8q
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 10, 2022
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Texas may have finally found its guy at quarterback.
The Texas Longhorns have had mixed results at the quarterback position since Colt McCoy left the Forty Acres. For the most part, the position has left a lot to be desired.
The Garrett Gilbert era of Texas football was short and disappointing. The Lake Travis quarterback was not put in an offensive system in which he could succeed.
After Gilbert came the battle between Case McCoy and David Ash. McCoy was accurate, but lacked the arm strength to elevate the program. Injuries derailed Ash’s promising career.
Aside from Sam Ehlinger, the remaining quarterbacks since Ash have flashed potential but never lived up to the hype. Nevertheless, there is reason to believe the next Texas starter can provide stability the program has lacked at the position.
Here is a list of every opening day starter for Texas since 2013.
The trio of Dillon Gabriel, Marvin Mims and Eric Gray we’re included among the best “trifectas” in college football according to 247Sports.
After Caleb Williams and Mario Williams followed former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley to USC, Brent Venables and Jeff Lebby moved quickly to replace what was lost and get the offense ready for battle.
According to 247Sports, they did a pretty good job.
Oklahoma came in at No. 6 on Matt Howe’s top 10 QB-WR-RB trifecta list with Dillon Gabriel, Marvin Mims and Eric Gray.
Notably, Texas was fifth and USC was second on this list.
The Longhorns boast a Hesiman candidate at running back, Bijan Robinson, and a gamebreaker at wide receiver, Xavier Worthy. Whether it’s Hudson Card or Quinn Ewers, the Longhorns, as always, have a boon of talent on offense.
USC, of course, has a Heisman candidate of its own, Caleb Williams, 2021 Biletnikoff winner Jordan Addison, who transferred from Pitt, and dynamic Oregon transfer Travis Dye running the ball.
After losing not one but two former five-star QBs to the transfer portal, Gabriel is about the best “consolation prize” Oklahoma could’ve hoped for.
Just like Gabriel, Mims and Gray have much to prove heading into the 2022 season.
Oklahoma lost several key players with the departure of head coach Lincoln Riley, but still managed to reload enough to make the list. UCF transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel joins the Sooners after three seasons with the Knights. In 26 career games, Gabriel has completed 60.7% of his passes for 8,037 yards with 70 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Wideout Marvin Mims is a former four-star recruit who has caught 69 passes for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first two seasons in Norman. Running back Eric Gray is set to enter his second season with Oklahoma after spending his first two collegiate seasons at Tennessee. Last year, Gray totaled 641 yards and four touchdowns from scrimmage. – Howe, 247Sports
All three players in this trifecta are draft eligible in 2023. Mims is probably the current headliner in terms of NFL draft value. Gabriel and Gray both need to have a great season to assert themselves among NFL draft prospects.
In Jeff Lebby’s offense, Gray will be fed the football, so that’s covered. The last QB to run Lebby’s offense, Matt Corral, was drafted in the third round this year and received some Heisman buzz.
With Gabriel, Mims and Gray leading the way for the Oklahoma offense, the Sooners will once again have one of the best offenses in football. This dynamic trio will have a chance at career-best production operating under one of the best offenses coordinators in college football. 2022 is going to be huge for the OU offense.
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Hudson Card could be the likely starter at this point.
Steve Sarkisian’s team is preparing for the second scrimmage of fall camp, and so far there are more questions than answers.
The talent is there across the board, but nobody really knows what Texas will look like in 2022.
Perhaps the biggest question facing the team is who will start at quarterback. We will likely find out not long after Saturday’s scrimmage.
There have been a number of conflicting reports across media who cover the team. Additionally, coaches are not selling the same story either. Differences in opinion tell you how close the race has become.
Some say Card is in actuality the far more decisive and better operator of the offense to this point. We won’t know if that translates to the field until he takes off the no-contact jersey and faces a live rush.
That said, it’s time to accept the idea that barring a more mentally ready Quinn Ewers than coaches have seen, Card is the likely starter at this point.
Let’s look at six questions Texas could answer in the scrimmage.
Steve Sarkisian provided an update about where things currently stand in the quarterback battle during his Thursday press conference.
Excitement is building as we approach the start of the 2022 college football season.
Quarterback competitions are the talk of camp in many spots around the nation. Texas fans are eager to find out who will lead the Longhorns’ offense at quarterback in the season opener on Sept. 3.
Steve Sarkisian provided an update about where things currently stand in the quarterback battle during his Thursday press conference.
No starting quarterback has been named.
Steve Sarkisian: “I have a pretty good idea, but I want to give these guys an opportunity to compete, so that’s what we’re doing”
— Joe Cook (@josephcook89) August 18, 2022
Both Hudson Card and Quinn Ewers had a fair share of bright moments during Tuesday’s open practice. Ball security is a point of emphasis for each of the young quarterbacks early on in fall camp.
Sarkisian is hoping someone can create some separation from one another in the coming days. Saturday’s scrimmage is a big opportunity for Card or Ewers to prove they deserve the starting nod.
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Several new faces shined in Texas’ open practice this week.
Texas held an open practice to the public on Tuesday evening. Continue reading “Texas Football: Top highlights from the open practice on Tuesday”
