The Texas Longhorns may very well have a 2025 first round pick in starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, but calls for redshirt freshman Arch Manning to replace him will only grow louder after the latter's scintillating performance in Saturday's blowout win at home over UTSA.
Ewers himself was brilliant in guiding Texas to an early 14-0 lead, completing 14 of 16 passes for 185 yards and both scores.
He went down with what head coach Steve Sarkisian later characterized as a strained abdomen in the second quarter, however, making this the third consecutive season in which he's missed time due to an injury. [Related: Whether with Ewers or Manning, it's full speed ahead for Texas ] Once Ewers left, Manning, the former five-star recruit from the legendary family of quarterbacks, came on and threw with the precision that typified the Hall of Fame careers of his uncles Peyton and Eli, connecting on four touchdown passes on just nine completions.
It was the athleticism demonstrated by the prototypically-built 6-foot-4, 225-pounder that might have surprised some onlookers, however.