Texas Longhorns' Quinn Ewers Breaks Down Perfect TD vs. Clemson

Quinn Ewers may have his ups and downs, but he can be great when he's on.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers hugs tight end Gunnar Helm at the end of the game against Kentucky Wildcats. | Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns' ground game was firing on all cylinders in their first-round win over the Clemson Tigers back in December, as they ran for 292 yards and four touchdowns to lead a 38-24 victory.

That said, Quinn Ewers and co. had some nice plays on the day, and his lone touchdown pass was absolutely one of them.

Late in the second quarter, Ewers perfectly looked off Clemson safety R.J. Mickens - his former teammate at Carroll High School in Southlake - to find a wide-open Gunnar Helm on the post route for an easy 19-yard touchdown. That gave the Longhorns a 28-10 lead going into halftime and ultimately proved to be the game-winning score.

Texas Longhorns tight end Gunnar Helm catches a pass in the end zone against the Clemson Tigers. | Aaron E. Martinez-USA Today Network via Imagn Images

During an appearance on Barstool Sports' "Gruden's QB Class" Ewers explained what went into that play, both on the field and in his head.

"I was talking to him [Mickens], they're playing like some 3 Buzz here, so he wasn't responsible for back there," Ewers said. "This is a play to really beat almost a two-high look. The tight end is supposed to cross the safety's face, that's how we teach this, but obviously he's not a robot. We don't run drawings at the University of Texas. I saw my guy R.J. here just looking at me and I'm like 'oh I'm going to put it right over his dome and it's a touchdown.'"

"This is a Play to beat a 2-High Look. The TE is supposed to cross the Safety's Face--that's how we teach it, but he's not a robot.

We don't run Drawings at the University of Texas."

- Quinn Ewers pic.twitter.com/IByzGvX9wM

— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) April 21, 2025

The NFL Draft is just days away, and Ewers has become one of the more polarizing quarterback prospects in the class. His struggles throughout much of last season, even if they were due to injury, definitely raised some concerns among scouts.

However, there's no denying just how good Ewers can be when he's on his game. This play is just one example of how he understands the game, and with his performances against teams such as Alabama in 2023 or Michigan in 2024, both of which came on the road, he's shown he can succeed against the highest level of competition.

If a team can unlock that version of Ewers, then the fruits of their labor will be well worth it.