Quinn Ewers, Arch Manning in competition for Texas' QB job

After the Texas Longhorns' first spring practice, coach Steve Sarkisian said on Monday that all positions are up for grabs, including quarterback, where sophomore Quinn Ewers and freshman Arch Manning will compete for the starting job.

«I'm not worried about who's going to be on the cover of what magazine next week,» Sarkisian said. «I'm more focused on is, is each guy focusing on what they need to do to develop to be the best player that they can be? Quinn has an entire year of a head start, but I don't want to hold Arch back. I want to see how far he can take this thing and what it can look like.»

Both were highly coveted recruits, with Ewers ranking as the No. 2 player in the 2021 ESPN 300 and Manning — one of the most high-profile recruits in history — at No. 5 in the 2023 edition.

Ewers arrived last season as a transfer from Ohio State and started 10 games, throwing for 2,177 yards and 15 touchdowns with six interceptions, and was named the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. He struggled in stretches of the season but closed strong, going 31-of-47 for 369 yards and a TD against Washington in the Alamo Bowl, and he finished the season with 116 straight passes without an interception.

Still, Sarkisian said the passing game has to improve this season, and he's aware of the huge spotlight on his QB derby. Sarkisian noted the reaction on social media when Ewers cut his trademark mullet this offseason, saying the two had spoken about how sometimes your appearance creates a perception about you.

«All of a sudden, now the guy gets a haircut and cleans his beard up a little bit and everyone thinks Quinn's real serious right now,» Sarkisian said. «But that's human nature. It's never been a question of him taking this