Texas QB battle: Arch Manning, Quinn Ewers competing in spring as Steve Sarkisian confirms high-profile duel

Texas can have an open quarterback combat in spring camp as newcomer Arch Manning tries to unseat incumbent Quinn Ewers from the beginning activity. The combat of former five-star recruits makes for one of the high-profile battles in contemporary years. 

“I’m not worried about who’s going to be on the cover of what magazine next week,” Texas trainer Steve Sarkisian told reporters after practice Monday. “I’m more focused on 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.” 

Despite struggling a shoulder damage in opposition to Alabama in Week 2 final season, Ewers received Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors after finishing 58% of his passes for two,177 yards and 15 touchdowns as the Longhorns jumped from 5-7 to 8-5 beneath Ewers. However, Manning arrives to Austin as one of the high-profile recruits in years and can get an instantaneous search for the beginning gig. Redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy may also compete however might be restricted in the spring whilst he continues to paintings via an ankle damage he sustained in highschool. 

Ironically, the similar state of affairs happened final yr as Ewers competed with veteran Hudson Card for the beginning activity. Ewers in the end received the open pageant, which stretched into fall camp. 

With the combat underway right here in the early phases, this is how every quarterback can lock down the activity.

How Manning can win the activity

See the final title: Manning. The Manning circle of relatives is the most secure guess in soccer. Uncles Peyton and Eli Manning every received two Super Bowls on the NFL degree and the Maxwell Award in school. Patriarch Archie Manning was once the SEC Player of the Year in 1969 and had his No. 18 retired at Ole Miss. Now, Arch involves campus as possibly probably the most heralded of the gang as now not simply the No. 1 total recruit in this cycle however as one of the crucial most sensible recruits in historical past. 

Manning was once the primary freshman quarterback to start out at Isidore Newman (LA) in 40 years, so do not be expecting a lot worry. He went on to wreck each quarterback document set by means of his uncles on the faculty and in the end threw for greater than 8,500 yards and 100 touchdowns in 4 years. He was once additionally a shockingly flexible runner right through his time at Newman. 

“In addition to possessing all the physical tools desired at the quarterback position, Manning plays the game with exceptional intuition and awareness, showing the ability to command navigate the game at a very high level,” 247Sports nationwide recruiting analyst Cooper Petagna wrote of Manning. “Manning figures to be prepared to make an immediate impact at the next level.” 

The bounce in pageant might be steep as Manning performed Louisiana non-public faculty ball, which is a a ways cry from the huge public faculty leagues Ewers starred in at Southlake (Texas) Carroll. But with quarterback tutelage that may best be realized throughout the first circle of relatives of soccer, do not be expecting the transition to take lengthy. 

Getting his decision-making as much as school requirements would be the number one center of attention in spring camp. The longer the contest runs, the simpler for Manning. 

How Ewers can win the activity

College soccer lovers have painfully quick reminiscences. Before Manning-palooza got here to the town, Ewers was once the debate of the game. Ewers in fact joined Vince Young as the one quarterbacks to ever earn best possible 1.000 scores from the 247Sports Composite scores and had multi-million greenback NIL offers earlier than stepping foot on a school campus. 

Landing Ewers in 2022 as a switch from Ohio State gave the Sarkisian generation a recent slate following an embarrassing 5-7 debut marketing campaign, the primary dropping season by means of a first-year trainer at Texas since Dana X. Bible in 1937. Ewers flashed his spectacular possible in his first two Power Five begins, finishing 68% of his passes for 820 yards and 9 touchdowns regardless of lacking 3 quarters of the Alabama recreation. 

His end to the season was once admittedly brutal, however that is to be anticipated for a participant who had now not thrown a cross in two years with the shoulder accidents Ewers confronted. Accuracy problems had been a continuing for Ewers in the latter part of the yr, which was once a stark distinction from his highschool and early school tape. If he’s absolutely wholesome, be expecting the ones to subside. 

When Ewers is on, he’s the prototypical quarterback. He has elite ball placement and the power to regulate to drive and throw at the run. If he can calm down and get the accuracy problems beneath keep an eye on — and if Texas can persistently to find playmakers, which has been inconsistent right through the Sarkisian generation — Ewers nonetheless has a number of time to are living as much as his lofty hype. 

What will occur?

Manning merits all of the consideration he will get for being one of the crucial most sensible highschool quarterback recruits of the previous few years. However, throw out the concept that Manning’s recruiting pedigree will earn him the activity in follow — Ewers’ profile was once even higher. 

Additionally, take a look at the most efficient quarterbacks of the previous a number of years. Heisman winner Caleb Williams began his profession at the bench. Fellow Heisman winner Bryce Young threw simply 22 passes as a real freshman at the back of Mac Jones. C.J. Stroud redshirted. Ewers redshirted at Ohio State earlier than shifting. Even uncle Eli redshirted, whilst Peyton did not take over till past due in his freshman yr. 

In reality, no most sensible quarterback in the 247Sports Composite scores has received a gap day beginning activity since Josh Rosen at UCLA in 2015, and his profession was once in the end derailed by means of waves of coordinator adjustments and accidents. There’s little likelihood that the Manning circle of relatives is in dashing Arch right into a state of affairs for which he isn’t ready. 

Quarterbacks steadily strengthen maximum between Years 1 and a couple of, and Ewers has an opportunity to do this after a yr taking part in in Sarkisian’s device. The flashes are there. Manning will supply some much-needed pageant to push the younger signal-caller, however be expecting Ewers to come back out on most sensible. 

With Murphy additionally on campus, do not be surprised to peer Manning in the end play fewer than 4 video games and take a redshirt. If all is going neatly, Ewers can construct an NFL Draft resume in 2023 and Manning can lead the Longhorns into the SEC in 2024. Unless Manning flashes otherworldly preparedness, there may be little explanation why to stray from the plan.