Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers is healthy again after missing the previous three games with a collarbone injury. On Monday, head coach Steve Sarkisian stated of his quarterback room, “We’re healthier than we’ve ever been since the start of the season.”
If that’s the case, Ewers should be able to return to the starting lineup. In theory, sure, but in practice, it may not be that easy. Almost a month has gone since Ewers was injured in the first quarter of Texas’ 20-19 defeat to No. 1 Alabama.
The Longhorns Take Field In Cotton Bowl on Saturday
The rookie was outstanding on those two drives against the Tide, completing 9 of 12 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns while ripping apart the Alabama defense.
Since then, though, Texas’ junior Hudson Card has stepped in well for Ewers, leading the team to a 2-1 record (or 2-2 if you include his three quarters against Alabama).
The card has also shown significant growth as a player from game to game. Card recently had his greatest game ever, a 38-20 victory against West Virginia. He completed 21 of 27 passes for a career-high 303 yards, just as Ewers was getting well and ready to return. This begs the question that might be answered with a gold hat if not gold itself.
Do you put Ewers back into action for the first time in a month or ride the hot hand and depend on Card in the best game of the season among the Longhorns and Sooners? Did he play next to one of the most difficult environments in college football?
Play the player who I believe offers us the greatest opportunity to win, whether he’s the starter, the backup, the hot hand, or not,” Sark added, describing his mindset. We’ll play whomever I believe will offer us the greatest opportunity to win the ballgame and be successful.
Both Ewers and Card Have Their Supporters and Detractors
The rookie has more raw arm talent than Card, plain and simple. It’s why he beat out the junior for the starting position, and even against Alabama, of all teams, we saw glimpses of the “generation talent” label that’s been linked to him.
Beyond his natural ability, he also appeared to enjoy the spotlight in what was just his second career start. If that’s any indication of Ewers’ mettle, then Texas would be wise to put him behind center for games like Saturdays in hostile Arlington.
Is Ewers fit enough for it, though? Furthermore, is he psychologically prepared to return to the quarterback position for the first time in the Cotton Bowl? Moreover, despite he has put in time at practice, there is no substitute for actual game repetitions.
Will he be able to shake off any rust this week and resemble the version of himself we saw the previous time out in a game where one score frequently decides the outcome?
If Those Conditions are Met by Ewers: He is a Clear Choice
Meanwhile, it has been recognized that Card has gotten better each week, has guided Texas to two victories, and even played winning football in Texas’s defeat against Texas Tech.
For a team like Texas, who won a dismal 5 games all of last season, every victory counts, and he can guarantee that.
However, the fact remains that the offense can’t use its playbook to its best potential without Ewers.
He is capable of making some of the passes that Card has trouble with. Xavier Worthy scored on a tipped pass. Although Card is playing strong, winning football, he has had more than a few close calls on less-than-stellar throws.
He was missing wide-open receivers and completing passes that should have been touchdowns with better ball placement. Texas might lose points if Ewers is rusty, and they could also lose points if Card has trouble putting the ball in the end zone.
The loser on Saturday will drop to 3-3, which may have repercussions far beyond the Red River Showdown due to the accompanying unfavorable attention.
Finishing Off This Discussion
Your ceiling will be lowered, even if just by one or two wins, if Ewers is rushed back only because of the opponent and goes down again. Keeping Card as the starting quarterback would be much more feasible if he started and helped Texas to another win after a Red River victory.
Sooner or later, Sark will have to choose his starting quarterback for Saturday’s game and to suggest that he has to do it right would be an understatement.