AUSTIN (KXAN) — All signs point toward Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers returning to the field for the Red River Rivalry on Saturday.
Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday that while they'll monitor Ewers' progression recovering from an oblique strain he suffered on Sept. 14 against UTSA, he'd start if the game was right now.
"I want to see how he responds to extended work and what that looks like so he can be as healthy as can be to perform," Sarkisian said. "Quinn worked last week and practiced again today, and if anybody benefitted from the bye, it was him. I feel good about him going Saturday, but that remains to be seen."
If Ewers can't perform at any point, Sarkisian said he won't hesitate to go to backup Arch Manning.
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"We're fortunate to be in this position to have two quality players at the position that our team has confidence in," Sarkisian said. "Arch has proven over 2 1/2 games that he can run our offense and be successful."
Sarkisian has repeatedly said Ewers remains the starting quarterback when he's healthy with Manning as the backup. Even though Manning has played very well while filling in, Sarkisian will go back to Ewers once everyone involved feels Ewers is back to full strength. There's not a quarterback controversy for the Longhorns. If both players are healthy, Ewers is the starter — something Sarkisian has said all along.
"I'm just being honest. I sleep better when I'm honest," Sarkisian said. "That's how I genuinely feel. Quinn has earned and deserves the right to be our starting quarterback. Arch has continued to work really hard, and we're fortunate to have him as the player and leader he is. I speak to it like I would anything else. I try to be very matter-of-fact with y'all so I don't send any mixed messages."
The last time Ewers returned from an injury in time for the Red River Rivalry, both squads were unranked and the Longhorns slapped a 49-0 whooping on the Sooners in 2022. This time around, Texas is the No. 1 team in the country and Oklahoma sits at No. 18.
