'A Better Spot' Texas Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers Reveals Decision Behind Return to Austin

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers wanted to slow things down after speeding through life to begin his college career.

Steve Sarkisian has followed the "All gas, no brakes" mentality since arriving at Texas from Alabama back in 2021.

For Quinn Ewers, it's more so about the journey than the race to the finish line.

In his first press conference since the College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Washington, Ewers admitted to mulling over all options. He was eligible for the draft, and after a breakout season in Austin, a team would have taken a flyer on him with the hopes of landing a franchise passer.

But for Ewers, who enters his third season as the Longhorns starting quarterback, more still needed to be accomplished. He wasn't ready to enter the next stage of his life and didn't feel the need to rush into any paramount life-altering decision.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers during spring practice at the Frank Denius practice fields

Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman

"The main thing for me was just getting more experience," Ewers said. "I had some people put together a pretty good chart on the more you play and the more experience you have, the better you end up playing and succeeding in the NFL. I just wanted to put myself in a better spot to be able to succeed at a high level once I hopefully get there."

The choice to return shows another sign of growth in the Ewers' maturation cycle. He's three years removed from forgoing his senior season at Southlake Carroll to reclassify and earn a slew of cash from Ohio State on the NIL collective.

But Ewers also realizes football comes from a team perspective. The Longhorns, fresh off their first — and final — Big 12 title since 2009, look poised to make a run to Atlanta in Year 1 as members of the Southeastern Conference.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers during spring practice at the Frank Denius practice fields

Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman

He rushed past seeing the Dragons return to the postseason, so why rush away from stiffer competition that could only improve his stock in next year's draft class?

"I've been rushing my entire life, so just take a year, slow it down and not rush things," said Ewers. "I skipped my senior year (of high school), that went by fast. I was at Ohio State for a semester, so it all went by fast also. So just take my time throughout the whole process and enjoy being here and just being present and not looking too far forward."

After the bowl loss, Ewers confided in a small group of people, mostly his parents, for future answers. His heart leaned on returning to Austin for another go-around, but the chance to play in the NFL only comes once in a lifetime.

Ewers would've made a roster should he declared. He now runs the risk of seeing his draft stock dip or become invisible altogether should regression set in. Not to mention, the NCAA's most popular backup sits behind in practice and could be in line to take over after one bad outing.

Some fans are already preparing for the Arch Manning era while the Ewers' reign is still in existence.

Ewers didn't wonder about his draft stock. He knew he'd be a. top-10 prospect at the position should he have declared, and potentially could have been somewhere inside the top five.

He's now in line to claim the title of QB1 over Colorado's Shedur Sanders, Georgia's Carson Beck, or Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart, among other potential breakout stars in 2024.

"I always wanted to play in the NFL and succeed at a high level in the NFL," Ewers said. "To get to that point, I think it was just better for me to just stay another year and just enjoy it."

Health will play a massive role in Ewers' draft stock entering next offseason. He's started over two dozen games since transferring from Ohio State in 2021. He's also missed five games due to upper-body injuries, including two last season during Big 12 play.

To adjust, Ewers said he plans on gaining a few more pounds. Last season, he played around 200 pounds. This year, he hopes to get up to 210.

He also plans on being an attentive leader in the locker room. He's one of four returning offensive players with multiple years of starting experience in Sarkisian's offense. Among the receiving corps, Texas is replacing over 85 percent of its production.

Newcomers like Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond and Silas Bolden could be staples in securing a second College Football Playoff berth, but it resides in the shoulders of No. 3, who plans on being the No. 1 constant offensively in 2024.

"I definitely have to step up in that role and I'm super comfortable with it," he said a couple of days later," said Ewers. "Everybody expects it from me, I expect it from myself. I wouldn't rather be in any other position than what I'm in right now."

Last season, Ewers threw for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns against only six interceptions while completing just under 70 percent of his throws.