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Quinn Ewers cemented Arch Manning’s fate as QB2 in Austin when he decided to spurn the NFL Draft and return to Texas. Despite that decision, Manning opted to stay put as opposed to transferring.
Ewers was heard commending his teammate’s choice over the offseason, believing it will only benefit him moving forward.
After leading the Longhorns to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2023-24, many speculated on Ewers’ future come season’s end. Would he hop into a strong quarterback class that saw five signal callers selected across the first 10 picks? Or would he try his luck the following year?
He ultimately chose the latter, opting for one more season of development at the collegiate level.
That decision, while welcomed by the Texas faithful, could’ve potentially had major consequence. Backup Maalik Murphy had already hopped into the portal in December, leaving Arch Manning his QB2 duties.
Questions soon followed surrounding Manning’s future in Austin.
A former No. 1 overall recruit, he easily could’ve left Texas in pursuit of playing time. The family quickly shot that narrative down.
Instead, he stayed, though he says the decision was a difficult one.
“It’s tough because you want to be out there playing with your boys. But [it came down to] just realizing there’s nowhere else I want to be, and it was my dream to play at Texas. I’m going to stick it out and play there eventually.”
That likely means another year on the sidelines, though things can change quickly in college football. Rather look at it as a negative, Ewers viewed it as beneficial for his teammate.
Quinn Ewers commended Arch Manning’s decision.
“I think he understands that what he’s got here is he’s gonna be the most ready whenever he goes to the NFL. I think coach Sark [Steve Sarkisian] does the best job getting quarterbacks ready for the NFL and developing guys. [Manning will] be playing in his third year. He’ll be more than comfortable in operating the offense, and it’s just a really good fit for him.”
-Quinn Ewers via The Athletic
Ewers probably wishes he could’ve done the same in hindsight.
Similar to Manning, he entered college as a No. 1 overall recruit with sky-high expectations. After failing to crack the starting lineup at Ohio State as a freshman, he transferred to Texas.
There, Ewers was thrown to the wolves a bit leading to struggles in Year 1. As a first-year starter, he completed just 58% of his passes while tallying 15 touchdowns and six picks.
The next season is when the game seemed to slow down for him – something he thinks could happen for Arch Manning, too.
For the Longhorns, that would offer the dream scenario.
Manning’s shown signs of growth from Year 1 to Year 2. Another campaign of learning could prove equally as beneficial for his confidence moving forward.
While no one with a competitive spirit enjoys sitting on the sidelines, in this case, it could be for the best!