Texas Longhorn Quinn Ewers finally breaks silence on last year's debacle at Big 12 Media Days 2023: "I've learned so much from last year"
After Quinn Ewers transferred to Texas from Ohio State, expectations from fans skyrocketed. The former five-star recruit was seen as the quarterback that would take the Longhorns to the next level. Ewers himself appeared ready for the job.
However, he failed to live upto the expectations in his first season. Although he managed to throw for more than 2,100 yards and 15 touchdowns, his pass completion rate stood at 58%, which was considered average.
As we approach the 2023 season, Ewers believes he can do things better. Speaking at the 2023 Big 12 Media Days at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Quinn Ewers said he has learned a lot from last season.
“I learned a whole lot about myself last year and really how much this sport means to me. It was definitely tough going through what we went through last year.
I’m not going to say I’m glad I went through it, but it’s good that I did because it showed me what I need to be for this team and for myself, and how I need to approach things.”
Ewers faced significant challenges with accuracy when throwing deep passes last season. His success rate declined when Texas relied heavily on his throwing ability. Notably, the Longhorns had a 2-3 record in games where Ewers attempted more than 30 passes.
Quinn Ewers is playing a huge role in the team leadership
Despite his struggles last season, Quinn Ewers has become a key player in terms of leadership in the Longhorns team. This has earned him the respect of his teammates and puts him ahead of the competition with the likes of Arch Manning and Malik Murphy.
His huge role in the team was well talked about by his teammates during the Big 12 Media Days. Wide receiver Jordan Whittington reiterated that Ewers has primed himself as a vocal leader within the team. He said:
“He’s definitely way more comfortable being a vocal leader in front of the whole team. He’s the guy that talks after workouts and practice and when you have a quarterback who does that, it just makes you build more trust in him.
We all have a lot of respect for him, he carries himself in a way that shows he's a dominant one.
Fellow wide receiver, Xavier Worthy, also commented on the impact of Quinn Ewers' leadership on the team. He believes the quarterback is the lynchpin of the offense and has to set the tone for every other player involved.
“Quinn’s leadership, I feel like he’s the head of the snake. He’s accepting that role. He has to be the head of the snake. The quarterback is the head of the snake.
He continued:
verybody is going to go with him. If he says something, everybody’s going to go. If he says that’s not allowed, then everybody is going to listen.”
There are a whole lot of expectations on the Texas team in the upcoming season after a period of underwhelming performance. Quinn Ewers is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the team fulfills the billing.