Texas Steve Sarkisian Has 'A Pretty Good Idea' On Horns Starting Quarterback
Steve Sarkisian isn’t ready to give out titles. He is, however, nearing the end of his search for Texas’ starting quarterback for Week 1 against Louisiana-Monroe.
On Thursday, Sarkisian told reporters that he has “a pretty good idea” on which quarterback he’ll name the starter between redshirt sophomore Hudson Card and redshirt freshman Quinn Ewers. An announcement will likely come following Saturday’s scrimmage when reporters meet with the coach once more.
“I want to give these guys an opportunity to compete, so that’s what we’ll do,” Sarkisian said.
When Ewers arrived from Ohio State in January, the expectation was he’d be named the starter at some point during the early parts of fall camp. Fans have clamored for him to be the guy moving forward and throws throughout the spring certainly warrant permanent reps with the first-team offense.
Card, a native of Austin and initial 2021 starter, hasn’t let up since the start of spring ball. Multiple practices have ended with Card being the more efficient of the two passers. It’s led to a difficult decision for the second-year coach as weeks turn to days before the Sept. 3 kickoff.
“It’s tight,” Sarkisian said Monday of the QB battle. “Both guys are working very hard. They’ve both got great attitudes.”
Sarkisian is like most coaches going through a challenging process. He’s keeping the decision close to the vest, not letting anyone in on his secrets of what will happen when the Warhawks arrive at DKR in three weeks.
In reality, Sarkisian likely has his answer. On Tuesday at the team’s open practice, fans caught a glimpse of what both quarterbacks could do.
Ewers, who graded out as SI All-American’s No. 2 quarterback of the 2022 class prior to reclassifying last offseason, made several “wow” throws that drew an uproar from the crowds. Card seemed to be comfortable commanding the huddle as well and a few highlights throws as well.
Texas can’t afford a sluggish start as it had in the first season of the Sarkisian era. Card led the charge against No. 23 Louisiana in Week 1, but was benched by the start of the fourth quarter in Week 2 against Arkansas in favor of Casey Thompson.
Neither Thompson nor Card likely would have stopped the Longhorns’ six-game losing streak midseason. A poor offensive line with limited receivers and an inconsistent defense factored into the 5-7 finish, but neither passer should be off the hook.
One thing Sarkisian isn’t trying to do is have a rotating carousel of quarterbacks again. If Card wins the job, it’s Card’s team. The same goes for Ewers, who many close to the program believe is the front-runner to win the title following Saturday's scrimmage.
“We really try as a staff to put our players in the best position to be successful,” Sarkisian said.
Expectations are high for Texas entering the new season. Even with the losses of players such as receiver Isaiah Neyor and offensive lineman Junior Angilau for the remainder of the season, that hasn’t changed the outlook among boosters and analysts from a national perspective.
Ewers has all the intangibles and tools Sarkisian is looking for in a quarterback. That probably won’t factor into the decision. Card has experience running the offense, and has shown that he won’t go down without a fight. That too probably won’t factor into the decision.
Texas needs a quarterback that’s going to maintain a level of consistency all season. This includes games against programs such as No. 1 Alabama in Week 2 and No. 10 Baylor in Week 13. The same must happen against lesser schools like UTSA in Week 3 or Kansas in Week 12.
Sarkisian has his answer. Saturday’s scrimmage is just to finalize what he already knows and has seen throughout the last several months.
Soon after, the secret will be out.
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