Quinn Ewers reaching potential is key to Texas winning Big 12 Championship

On3’s JD PicKell has been hard at work breaking down some of the top storylines in college football heading into the 2023 season. On a recent episode of the Hard Count, the college football expert revealed his list of the college football quarterbacks under the most pressure next season. And making the list was Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers.

“For Quinn Ewers, the difference between him reaching his potential and not reaching his potential is the difference between Texas winning a Big 12 title,” said PicKell. “The difference for Quinn Ewers in reaching what he can be as a quarterback is the difference between Texas winning a Big 12 title or not in 2023.”

Ewers had a shaky but respectable year in 2022. The nation’s top recruit from the 2021 recruiting class finished the year with 2,177 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions while completing 58.1 percent of his passes.

“The reality is you expect a Big 12 title because you’ve been told so long, ‘Hey, just be patient, it Sark’s first year, give it some time for the culture to mature.’ Then you were told, ‘Be patient with Quinn Ewers. Give him some time. It’s only his first year starting. He should be a freshman.’ Well, now you’re saying, ‘Hey, I want my return. I want my return on my investment for what I put into the program as a fan. I’ve waited a long time. There’s no more excuses.'”

Instead of waiting for the 2022 season, Ewers reclassified to the 2021 class and opted to head to Columbus, OH, to join the Ohio State Buckeyes. There, instead of still being in high school playing out his senior season, the Longhorns quarterback spent a year in the Buckeyes quarterback room before electing the transfer to Texas.

PicKell doesn’t see the expectations as a problem for Ewers. He views it more as a glorious opportunity for the Longhorns quarterback to show the college football world just what he’s capable of.

“That’s a beautiful thing if you’re Quinn Ewers because you’re ready to make good on all that’s been said about you in a positive manner. All the trust that’s been put in you. To the same token, if Texas doesn’t achieve it, where else do you look? They’ve got the freaking Monstars on the outside for Texas with AD Mitchell and Xavier Worthy, and they still got stable in the backfield that I think is slept on. The defense is retooled a little bit. I think the defense is gonna be better than a lot of people right now believe.”

Texas already had Worthy on their roster from last year. But that was not enough for head coach Steve Sarkisian. The Longhorns’ headman hopped in the transfer portal and recruited one of the top receivers available in Georgia Bulldogs, AD Mitchell. And with Mitchell and Worthy on the outside, along with the revamped Texas defense, if the Longhorns fell in 2023, there’s only one place to look.

“What I’m trying to say is there’s no more excuses for Quinn Ewers. There’s no more, yeah, but. There’s nowhere else to point if Texas doesn’t achieve what they want in 23,” said PicKell.