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Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian has talked about it all year long. The 2023 Texas Longhorns have found different ways to win.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m a broken record when I talk about versatility, resilience, perseverance,” Sarkisian said after one particularly close call. “Those are qualities that championship teams have because they find a way to win different ways, and they find a way to win games at critical moments and can make plays at critical moments."
The Horns hopped on top of Jonathon Brooks' legs to let him carry them to a win over Kansas. For Kansas State, they used a goal line stand in overtime to seal the victory. And on a chilly, November night in Ames, Iowa, it was a blocked PAT returned for two points that shocked a Texas team into gear.
“I think there’s a resiliency of this group,” Sarkisian said after narrowly escaping with a win in Houston. “I think there’s a fight on this team that’s real. It’s genuine.”
It’s almost as if the Longhorns have spent the entirety of the season trying to figure exactly who they are as a team. And now, just as the regular season has come to an end and the playoffs will soon begin, this team has finally figured out exactly who they are.
This is a team that has been forged into steel by those close games … and it is a team that is led by its quarterback, Quinn Ewers.
“If you want to be a championship team then you have to get better each week, I think we’ve done that,” Ewers said Sunday after finding out the Horns would be playing in the college football playoffs. “I think within this group, we’ve grown and matured and understood that it takes a whole entire game. Maybe a couple of years ago we would not have understood that. But I think now that we’ve been in those close games and been in some big games, we understand how valuable each minute is.”
Ewers isn’t just talking about the 60 minutes of game time they get for 12 Saturdays each fall. He’s talking about the hundreds of thousands of minutes this team has spent since the game click hit :00 on December 29, 2022. That was when Texas finished its last season with a 27-20 loss to the Washington Huskies.
The loss was a blow … but also a turning point.
“I think we killed all of our egos and just understood that if we want to go as far as we want to go, it takes everybody and we’ve got to put the work in,” said Ewers.
Ewers definitely had to learn how to kill his ego after what happened last season. He struggled as a true freshman (I don’t count the “redshirt” season at Ohio State) and struggled on the field for probably the first time in his life. Ewers has talked openly about how the season left a bitter taste in his mouth and he didn’t feel he had done enough to prepare himself.
That all changed this offseason. He buried himself in the playbook. He changed his diet and lost weight. He even shaved his trademark mullet.
“I’ll go back to this offseason. I think the way that we attacked this offseason is different than any team that I’ve been a part of, at least,” said Ewers. “I think we treated this offseason like it was a normal season, like it was a big part of our lives. The way that we trusted our strength staff and weren’t complaining, the way we really brought into what Coach Sark and Coach Becton and all of those guys are saying.”
The hard work paid off throughout the season, but never has Texas shined more than the last two weeks when Sark put the game plan on Ewers’ arm.
All the quarterback did was set records in leading his team to the Big 12 Championship title. He completed 35 of 46 attempts for 452 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
"I thought Quinn was lights out today, man," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Saturday. "The biggest thing today was when the first read was there, he was throwing the ball really accurately. And guys were making plays.
"But I thought the thing that showed up today was him getting to secondary reads and getting through progressions and still throwing the ball really accurately and giving guys chances to make plays."
Even the one interception Ewers threw against Oklahoma State was a sign of his growth.
"I think just the way I'm able to stay poised, even though maybe things aren't going our way, like that pick," Ewers said when asked about his improvement over the course of the season. "I'm not just focusing on the negativity but focusing instead on what we've been doing good."
What the Horns have been doing well these past couple of games is airing it out and spreading the ball around. Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, Jordan Whittington and Ja’Tavion Sanders have all had productive games.
Sark will likely call on Ewers once more as the Horns take on the undefeated Washington Huskies on New Year’s Day. UW is not the same team on defense that it was last season – it's actually worse.
UW ranks 122nd in the nation in pass defense (out of 133). That’s down from 100th last season.
Ewers himself had probably his best game of the season against Washington last year throwing for 369 yards and a touchdown.
Of course, at the end of the day, Texas wasn’t good enough to beat Washington in the Alamo Bowl. But then, that may not be a good thing for this year’s Washington Huskies. That puts them in the same category as a lot of teams Texas has faced in 2023.
"All this year, our thing was the teams that we lost to last year, giving them our best shot again, and to see that us and Washington are in the college playoffs after being in the Alamo Bowl last year, it's kind of ironic," senior linebacker Jaylan Ford said. "They got a good team. I think for us, we're just ready to finally get a chance to go show what Texas football is."
TWEETS OF INTEREST:
You have to hand it to him, NCAA President Charlie Baker sees the writing on the wall and is doing everything he can to save the organization.
The steps outlined in Baker’s letter to universities are bold and innovative and probably 10 years too late.
The difference between the “haves” (Texas, Alabama, Michigan, et. al.) and the “have nots” is bigger than the Grand Canyon. The have nots have zero chance of ever competing on the same playing field. Therefore, it makes a ton of sense for the haves to play in their own division.
I like the idea of schools paying players and players still having the opportunity to compete for NIL deals.
I understand why some of you may not want schools paying players. But consider this. Universities are, legally, non-profits. They bring in a ton of cash from media rights deals to show their football games. All of that money has to be spent in order to keep the books balanced at zero. That is why we have seen coaching salaries skyrocket and the facilities arms race seemingly never ends.
Why not use some of that money to pay the people who actually generate the product we love?
Now that NIL is around, did any of you, at any point during this season, stop to think about a player’s NIL deal while you were watching the games? I didn’t.
I also appreciate that creating a new subdivision could enable universities and conferences to finally do the smart thing and break out football from the rest of the sports.
It is beyond ridiculous that the Oregon women’s volleyball team will be competing in conference games in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. I get why that move was needed for Ducks football, but let football join the Big Ten and let volleyball and the rest of the sports stay out West.
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Then again, in typical NCAA fashion, Baker screwed up the announcement by not consulting his bosses first.
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Bijan Robinson knows what’s up when it comes to the Texas vs. Washington Sugar Bowl matchup. He’s predicting a 38-10 Texas victory.
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If you think Bijan is right, it might be time to go spend big this Christmas and get yourself a new dining room set.
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If the Texas/OU game EVER moves out of the Cotton Bowl during the State Fair of Texas, they should take the people who make that decision and try them for war crimes.
I’m also glad to see a little modernization of the old stadium is underway. Hopefully that includes a lot better WiFi.
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Or you could spend all of your money on these kicks. (Like how I used the term “kicks?” I’m hip and cool.)
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Texas A&M’s team is absolutely falling apart.
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And I’m sorry Aggies, but this is not the answer. Collin Klein’s K-State offenses have ranked 5th (out of 14) this year and 6th (out of 10) last year. So why was he so in demand? At least he’s met Johnny Manziel before.
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Johnny Manziel turned 31 today. Good for him. I honestly sometimes wondered if he would make it this far.
I’m really not taking a shot at Manziel. He has, by his own words, had a tough life. I truly hope he’s put the demons behind him and figured it all out.
YOU!
Now is your chance to sponsor the column. Our previous sponsor paid for more than three months of sponsorship fees in the first two weeks of signing up. That can be you! Contact @BlakeSkaggs if you want that kind of successful promotion for your business. Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity!
===========================================================================
Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian has talked about it all year long. The 2023 Texas Longhorns have found different ways to win.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m a broken record when I talk about versatility, resilience, perseverance,” Sarkisian said after one particularly close call. “Those are qualities that championship teams have because they find a way to win different ways, and they find a way to win games at critical moments and can make plays at critical moments."
The Horns hopped on top of Jonathon Brooks' legs to let him carry them to a win over Kansas. For Kansas State, they used a goal line stand in overtime to seal the victory. And on a chilly, November night in Ames, Iowa, it was a blocked PAT returned for two points that shocked a Texas team into gear.
“I think there’s a resiliency of this group,” Sarkisian said after narrowly escaping with a win in Houston. “I think there’s a fight on this team that’s real. It’s genuine.”
It’s almost as if the Longhorns have spent the entirety of the season trying to figure exactly who they are as a team. And now, just as the regular season has come to an end and the playoffs will soon begin, this team has finally figured out exactly who they are.
This is a team that has been forged into steel by those close games … and it is a team that is led by its quarterback, Quinn Ewers.
“If you want to be a championship team then you have to get better each week, I think we’ve done that,” Ewers said Sunday after finding out the Horns would be playing in the college football playoffs. “I think within this group, we’ve grown and matured and understood that it takes a whole entire game. Maybe a couple of years ago we would not have understood that. But I think now that we’ve been in those close games and been in some big games, we understand how valuable each minute is.”
Ewers isn’t just talking about the 60 minutes of game time they get for 12 Saturdays each fall. He’s talking about the hundreds of thousands of minutes this team has spent since the game click hit :00 on December 29, 2022. That was when Texas finished its last season with a 27-20 loss to the Washington Huskies.
The loss was a blow … but also a turning point.
“I think we killed all of our egos and just understood that if we want to go as far as we want to go, it takes everybody and we’ve got to put the work in,” said Ewers.
Ewers definitely had to learn how to kill his ego after what happened last season. He struggled as a true freshman (I don’t count the “redshirt” season at Ohio State) and struggled on the field for probably the first time in his life. Ewers has talked openly about how the season left a bitter taste in his mouth and he didn’t feel he had done enough to prepare himself.
That all changed this offseason. He buried himself in the playbook. He changed his diet and lost weight. He even shaved his trademark mullet.
“I’ll go back to this offseason. I think the way that we attacked this offseason is different than any team that I’ve been a part of, at least,” said Ewers. “I think we treated this offseason like it was a normal season, like it was a big part of our lives. The way that we trusted our strength staff and weren’t complaining, the way we really brought into what Coach Sark and Coach Becton and all of those guys are saying.”
The hard work paid off throughout the season, but never has Texas shined more than the last two weeks when Sark put the game plan on Ewers’ arm.
All the quarterback did was set records in leading his team to the Big 12 Championship title. He completed 35 of 46 attempts for 452 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
"I thought Quinn was lights out today, man," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Saturday. "The biggest thing today was when the first read was there, he was throwing the ball really accurately. And guys were making plays.
"But I thought the thing that showed up today was him getting to secondary reads and getting through progressions and still throwing the ball really accurately and giving guys chances to make plays."
Even the one interception Ewers threw against Oklahoma State was a sign of his growth.
"I think just the way I'm able to stay poised, even though maybe things aren't going our way, like that pick," Ewers said when asked about his improvement over the course of the season. "I'm not just focusing on the negativity but focusing instead on what we've been doing good."
What the Horns have been doing well these past couple of games is airing it out and spreading the ball around. Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, Jordan Whittington and Ja’Tavion Sanders have all had productive games.
Sark will likely call on Ewers once more as the Horns take on the undefeated Washington Huskies on New Year’s Day. UW is not the same team on defense that it was last season – it's actually worse.
UW ranks 122nd in the nation in pass defense (out of 133). That’s down from 100th last season.
Ewers himself had probably his best game of the season against Washington last year throwing for 369 yards and a touchdown.
Of course, at the end of the day, Texas wasn’t good enough to beat Washington in the Alamo Bowl. But then, that may not be a good thing for this year’s Washington Huskies. That puts them in the same category as a lot of teams Texas has faced in 2023.
"All this year, our thing was the teams that we lost to last year, giving them our best shot again, and to see that us and Washington are in the college playoffs after being in the Alamo Bowl last year, it's kind of ironic," senior linebacker Jaylan Ford said. "They got a good team. I think for us, we're just ready to finally get a chance to go show what Texas football is."
TWEETS OF INTEREST:
You have to hand it to him, NCAA President Charlie Baker sees the writing on the wall and is doing everything he can to save the organization.
The steps outlined in Baker’s letter to universities are bold and innovative and probably 10 years too late.
The difference between the “haves” (Texas, Alabama, Michigan, et. al.) and the “have nots” is bigger than the Grand Canyon. The have nots have zero chance of ever competing on the same playing field. Therefore, it makes a ton of sense for the haves to play in their own division.
I like the idea of schools paying players and players still having the opportunity to compete for NIL deals.
I understand why some of you may not want schools paying players. But consider this. Universities are, legally, non-profits. They bring in a ton of cash from media rights deals to show their football games. All of that money has to be spent in order to keep the books balanced at zero. That is why we have seen coaching salaries skyrocket and the facilities arms race seemingly never ends.
Why not use some of that money to pay the people who actually generate the product we love?
Now that NIL is around, did any of you, at any point during this season, stop to think about a player’s NIL deal while you were watching the games? I didn’t.
I also appreciate that creating a new subdivision could enable universities and conferences to finally do the smart thing and break out football from the rest of the sports.
It is beyond ridiculous that the Oregon women’s volleyball team will be competing in conference games in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. I get why that move was needed for Ducks football, but let football join the Big Ten and let volleyball and the rest of the sports stay out West.
##################################
Then again, in typical NCAA fashion, Baker screwed up the announcement by not consulting his bosses first.
##################################
Bijan Robinson knows what’s up when it comes to the Texas vs. Washington Sugar Bowl matchup. He’s predicting a 38-10 Texas victory.
##################################
If you think Bijan is right, it might be time to go spend big this Christmas and get yourself a new dining room set.
##################################
If the Texas/OU game EVER moves out of the Cotton Bowl during the State Fair of Texas, they should take the people who make that decision and try them for war crimes.
I’m also glad to see a little modernization of the old stadium is underway. Hopefully that includes a lot better WiFi.
##################################
Or you could spend all of your money on these kicks. (Like how I used the term “kicks?” I’m hip and cool.)
##################################
Texas A&M’s team is absolutely falling apart.
##################################
And I’m sorry Aggies, but this is not the answer. Collin Klein’s K-State offenses have ranked 5th (out of 14) this year and 6th (out of 10) last year. So why was he so in demand? At least he’s met Johnny Manziel before.
##################################
Johnny Manziel turned 31 today. Good for him. I honestly sometimes wondered if he would make it this far.
I’m really not taking a shot at Manziel. He has, by his own words, had a tough life. I truly hope he’s put the demons behind him and figured it all out.
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