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Some Longhorn observers judge former Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger on the lack of conference titles during his tenure as a starter. Others will point to only one Big 12 Championship Game appearance. However, now might be a great time to send Ehlinger a long overdue gift for stabilizing the quarterback room during his time at Texas.
Do you remember what the room looked like before Ehlinger? David Ash was the starting quarterback until a brain injury derailed his college career (no word on if he has watched TV since leaving Texas). Tyrone Swoopes took over for Ash and nobody knew finishing 6-6 during the 2014 regular season would be the highlight of Charlie Strong’s tenure. Jerrod Heard had a memorable moment before during a loss against Cal but opposing teams eventually figured out the quarterback. Shane Buechele won the job in 2016 but Texas finished 5-7 and the Longhorns were not any closer to finding a reliable quarterback. Ehlinger and Buechele shared starting duties in 2017 and were average when healthy. However, Ehlinger won the job in 2018 and never looked back during the program’s first double-digit win season since 2009, capped off by a Sugar Bowl victory. Ehlinger provided three years of quarterback stability before leaving Texas after the 2020 season and becoming a sixth-round pick by Indianapolis.
Ehlinger’s departure left Texas in the quarterback abyss - again. Casey Thompson and Hudson Card battled for the position before last season. Thompson was the No.1 quarterback before losing his job during training camp. Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian was convinced he solved the quarterback dilemma until his team’s loss against Arkansas. After the game, Sarkisian decided to start Thompson, which went well until injuries and inaccuracy affected the veteran quarterback’s performance. Thompson led th Big 12 in touchdown passes, transferred after the season, and Longhorn fans are once again waiting for a quarterback to stabilize that room.
Texas recently began its winter conditioning program with four scholarship quarterbacks. Quinn Ewers, Maalik Murphy, Charles Wright, and Card are the passers Sarkisian is working with this year. Card is the only quarterback who has appeared in a college football game. Nevertheless, it is safe to say each quarterback is unproven – at this level – and Sarkisian needs to find one passer he can rely on this season.
It is time to examine the quarterback room.
Sarkisian recently addressed the media after adding arguably the best player in his 2022 class. Sarkisian discussed the addition of Devon Campbell this past Wednesday after he secured the best offensive line recruiting class in school history. Texas already had a top-five class before Campbell’s commitment. The addition of Campbell was like running a reverse for a touchdown while ahead by 28 points with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.
I asked Sarkisian what he wanted to see from each quarterback this offseason. Sarkisian’s detailed answer provided a great explanation of his expectations.
“From a quarterback’s perspective, they're all in varying phases,” Sarkisian said this week. “Hud's [Card] going into year three in the program, year two in our system. Quinn, having come from Ohio State and now transferring, has been in college a little bit, so a little better understanding. Malik coming right out of high school, first time on our college campus in a different spot, and then Charles being in year two.
“I think the biggest thing for all these guys is to focus on what they need to do individually and not get caught up in what the guy next to him is working on, or what we're working on with him, but focus on what they need to do and let us pour into them to develop them. Not everybody is going to develop at the same pace and at the same rate, and everybody's at a different stage in their career. So, trusting our history of developing quarterbacks to dive into you individually and here's what we want you to work on to make that happen. I think that's the guys that ultimately develop the quickest and develop the best because they believe in the process that they're going through, not worrying about what the other guys are going through."
Let us look at each scholarship quarterback.
Hudson Card
Stop me if you heard this before. There is a veteran quarterback on campus with limited playing experience. He will need to fight off a young quarterback who is viewed as a future NFL draft pick. Even if he wins the job, it is just a matter of time before the young quarterback takes his spot. Sound familiar? That is because we echoed the same sentiments when describing the quarterback battle between Thompson and Card last season. The only difference is Card is in Thompson’s shoes and Ewers is the young quarterback most Longhorn observers believe is a future standout.
Card completed 14 of 21 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns (187.7 passer rating) during the season opener against Louisiana. However, Card completed 8-of-15 passes for 61 yards (87.5 passer rating) during a loss against Arkansas. Card missed open receivers and focused more on avoiding hits than trying to complete passes. He struggled in that game but looked like a different quarterback during his team’s loss against West Virginia. Card completed 10 of 16 passes for 123 yards and one touchdown after Thompson left the game with an injury. He also displayed toughness by battling through his own injury to finish the game.
Sarkisian declined to endorse Card or Thompson toward the end of last season and said he intended to have a quarterback battle in 2022. Thompson turned down that invitation and transferred to Nebraska. Card’s task is to hold off Ewers for as long as possible. It is hard to imagine a world where Sarkisian starts a quarterback he inherited over the 5-star passer he recruited. Sarkisian’s fate at Texas will be determined by the success of Ewers and the coach cannot afford another disappointing season.
If Texas finishes 7-5 with Card, it will be viewed as a substandard season.
If Texas finished 7-5 with Ewers, there is room for a positive narrative.
Card faces an uphill battle.
Photo via TexasSports.com
Quinn Ewers
Ewers does not have the job – yet.
Let me restate what I heard from my sources and published in our latest War Room:
“According to my sources, Ewers has made an instant impression with the coaching staff and Longhorn players during winter conditioning. Those close to the situation said Ewers hit the ground running and looks like the 5-star was one of the high best players in the country. It appears the challenges Ewers faced at Ohio State are not present at Texas.
“The first attribute those who have witnessed Ewers in-person praise is his arm. I was told Ewers throws passes with the strength and accuracy of NFL quarterbacks. Card was praised who his arm during practice since he stepped on campus. Those familiar with both quarterbacks said the difference between an Ewers throw compared to Card is noticeable. Everything you heard about Ewers as a passer prior to Texas is accurate.
“Another observation by those close to the situation is Ewers appears happy at Texas.”
Ewers will be given every chance to win the job before this season. I expect Card to enter and leave spring practice as the No.1 quarterback. That being said, many inside the building expect Ewers to make a serious run at the No.1 spot this summer. I would not be surprised if Ewers is the starting quarterback heading into fall camp. That is not a prediction. However, those close to the situation believe Ewers will surpass Card later this year.
“I think it's been a good transition for him,” Sarkisian said. “He's been on a college campus for four months. Naturally, when you come in and you're new it takes a minute to kind of find your groove and just getting comfortable with everybody, but I see him being comfortable. I see the workouts go the way they're going. I know the guys have kind of thrown a couple of different times now, kind of on their own, and obviously, the guy can throw the ball. He loves throwing the ball. He loves being around the guys. I think just being in the dorm, being kind of one of the guys again, and being at a place that I think his heart kind of always wanted to be at, I think he's in a really good place.”
Photo via AP
Maalik Murphy
It is hard not to have a little sympathy for Murphy.
He was questioned for months by many college football observers for his lack of a high school resume. Murphy’s team played poorly during his junior season. He eventually led his team to a state championship game. During the state championship game, Murphy broke his ankle during the victory. On the same day, Ewers commits to Texas, a school Murphy committed to on February 13, 2021. Now, Murphy is in a boot and missing winter conditioning.
If Card does not transfer, Murphy is likely the third-string quarterback this season. Murphy was expected to redshirt in 2022 before Ewers committed. Murphy will need to spend this offseason learning the playbook, strengthening the ankle, and getting ready to fill in as a backup in case Card decides to transfer after the spring. Murphy faces an uphill battle and must hope Ewers is only at Texas for two years.
Charles Wright
Wright was a late addition to the 2021 class after Ewers decommitted. The previous staff viewed Wright as a talented player who was very raw. They hoped Wright could become effective after being in the program for multiple seasons. Last year, Wright struggled as a freshman. Wright’s biggest challenge is a lack of arm strength needed to be successful on this level. Walk-on quarterback Ben Ballard surpassed Wright on the depth chart and began traveling to road games last season.
If Wright can beat Murphy for the No.3 spot, it will be a huge accomplishment for the second-year quarterback.
“They're all going to be at a different phase of spring practice,” Sarkisian said. “Every guy's got different things to work on. Ultimately over time when we get ourselves to the first ball game come September, we've got three, four, possible guys that we feel comfortable [that] can go into the game and manage our team and move the football. Is that going to be one? Is that going to be four? Could be two.? I don't know yet. We've got a long way to go to make that happen. As long as they focus on what they need to do and not get caught up in what the others are doing, or what you guys [media] write about what the other guys are doing, or who should or who shouldn't, and just focus on themselves, that ultimately will give them the best opportunity to put themselves in the best position to have success.”
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Sports On A Dime
1. Sarkisian on Gary Patterson’s role at Texas: “I'm sure you guys have known Gary over the years. I think sometimes TV paints a picture of what a guy's perception is and Gary's a great guy. I think he's really good around the office. I think he's a really good team staff guy. He's got a great deal of energy about him. He sees the game and he sees the staff and the team through the lens of a head coach. I think a lot of times when my focus is on specific things, I can trust what he sees and we can have that dialogue. I know that guys have for Coach [Nick] Saban. You can have him watch specific things and be a sounding board of things to come back and look at. I think for PK [Pete Kwiatkowski], it's really the same thing. You've got a wealth of experience. You've got a guy who for 24 years was in Fort Worth coaching great defense, has seen a lot of offense, seen a lot of offense in our conference, and he can be a great sounding board for him. I think the biggest thing that we're getting to is Gary is going to offer the advice and what he thinks we can [do], should do, whether it's personnel, whether it's scheme, whether it's game plan. Ultimately, we as a staff have to choose to say hey, this is what we're going to do or we're going to go in this direction, and that's okay. Gary's a great sounding board for all of us. He provides, like I said, a wealth of experience and knowledge, also in- state. He knows a lot of the high school coaches. He knows a lot of the people here. I think it's a win on all fronts, and I think he and PK have really forged a great relationship in a short amount of time already.”
2. A portion of Sarkisian’s response after the coach said having between 35 and 36 newcomers is still on the table: “Clearly, we've got position groups that I don't particularly like the numbers at the position. Inside linebacker, for instance. I would like us to have at least one more body there just from a sheer number standpoint. Safety is a another potential number for us there. Wide receivers is a potential another number for us there. There [are] spots that we could fill if the right person presents himself. But I'm not just going to take a guy to fill the number. I want to make sure that player can come in here and potentially have the ability to contribute to the team where we want to go.”
3. Sarkisian’s response when asked about his philosophy on playing young offensive linemen: “I think that one of the keys we try to pride ourselves in, [and] every player knows this, we want to play the players that earn that opportunity to play. It's not about if you've been here for five years or if you're a true freshman. We try to make sure that the guys that earn it are the best players that give us as a team the best chance to succeed will play. Naturally, the offensive line position is probably one of the more challenging positions to play early at. Sometimes wide receiver, running back, defensive back, have a little easier time. But this is a very talented group. I don't want to put a ceiling on any one of these seven or two or three that could have the potential to be a real contributor for us in the fall. But whoever it is, and whoever they are, they'll earn it. But we're not closing the door on that. We're going to give these guys every opportunity to compete and compete at a high level.”
4. There is so much irony to SEC fans complaining about Texas leveraging NIL to sign an elite offensive line class. So many teams within that league have been accused of paying recruits under the table for numerous years. There is a reason why most college football observers refer to it as the $EC. Now, they are complaining about losing recruits in a free market. If Texas is using every legal tactic to obtain players, that is a successful recruiting in 2022, and any fanbase complaining about falling behind in the arms race should start a GoFundMe campaign and sponsor NIL deals to help their program attract recruits.
5. Every time Margin Hooks posts a video of Isaiah Neyor working out, an angel gets its wings.
6. Time for Kansas on Monday.
7. USC coach Lincoln Riley voicing the need for guidelines as relates to the transfer portal is like an active criminal showing up at a town hall meeting to complain about crime in the neighborhood. We witnessed Riley build his legacy through transfer quarterbacks and he took multiple Oklahoma players with him to USC. I would rather entertain a conversation about restricting coaches from quitting on their team before a bowl game than players looking for happiness at another program. Unfortunately, college coaches are used to having control and are having a hard time adjusting to not having that power anymore.
8. I wish Tom Brady would have given it another year but respect his decision to retire. He is the greatest NFL player of all time and we may never see another quarterback like him. The best part about Brady joining Tampa Bay was witnessing his true personality outside of Bill Belichick’s restrictions. Props to Brady for one hell of a career.
9. Keith Thurman had a good performance against Mario Barrios after a 31-month layoff. Thurman may not have knockout power anymore but Barrios took a beating. Could he win a fight against Terrence Crawford or Errol Spence Jr.? I doubt it. However, I know Thurman annoys @Xbeehookem and that might be all I need to bet a drink on his friend "Run Time" pulling off the upset.
10. A fascinating part of my young journey as an F1 fan is the launching of cars by every team. I need the experts to tell me what to look for. Outside of a new paint job, it seems like my focus should be on how the cars perform during testing in Barcelona, February 23-25. Am I wrong?
The most interesting fact I learned about the Haas release (via ESPN) was the team decided to focus their attention on the 2022 season.
“Steiner hopes the decision will result in a return to the points this season after Haas finished in last place with zero points in 2021.
"It's that time of year where you're naturally optimistic that the hard work and effort of everyone will translate to a competitive entry on track," Steiner said.
"We made the decision back in 2020 to really channel time and resources into the VF-22, foregoing anything track-related for 2021 -- which wasn't easy to watch. Hopefully that decision bears fruit and we return to challenging for points and taking something from the weekends."
“The car is powered by a Ferrari engine and continues to draw other components, including the gearbox, from the Italian team.
“It is also the first Haas to be designed by the team's new Maranello design department, which was set up last year to focus on the 2022 design and features 35 employees, many of which are on secondment from Ferrari.”
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