Quinn Ewers Comes Full Circle, Leans On Faith As Texas Prepares For Ohio State
DALLAS, TX - Quinn Ewers played his last high school football game inside AT&T Stadium, and alongside his Texas teammates on Friday night, he'll get the chance to complete a full-circle moment that only some young athletes get the opportunity to achieve.
Growing up just down the road from Dallas, Ewers was one of the biggest names in the 2021 recruiting class, after he had decided to re-classify. While he was committed to Texas for a period of time, there were certain aspects to his recruitment that made life, and his college decision, a little harder to digest.
He would've been the top quarterback in the 2022 class, but after contemplating what life could look like in college, with potential NIL deals on the table at a school like Ohio State - compared to the State of Texas that had yet to go all-in on NIL - which would have allowed him to cash-in, Ewers shocked folks with his decision to re-classify.
This move led him to skip his senior year of high school and enroll at Ohio State right before the Buckeyes' Fall camp. It was certainly a tough decision, one that he looks back on to this day. There was an opportunity he was hoping to take advantage of, but there was just one problem. The Buckeyes already had quarterbacks CJ Stroud and Kyle McCord on the roster, which put Ewers in an awkward spot, playing just two snaps that first year and redshirting.
Quinn Ewers and CJ Stroud share a moment before Ohio State played Michigan State in 2021 (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Sometimes in life you make decisions that look and sound good on the surface, but it's not where your heart truly is. Growing up a fan of the Longhorns, it was only logical that the top quarterback from the state would play for Texas. But it wasn't until that first season at Ohio State was over, and the Longhorns hired Steve Sarkisian, that the decision to come back home started to make more sense.
"The reason that I came back to Texas was, one, to be closer to where I’m from and just closer to the resources that I have and the relationships that I’ve built over time just being from Texas," Ewers said about his decision to return home.
There have certainly been some speed-bumps along the way as he had led Texas back to the promise land. Whether that's injuries or his play, Ewers has had a few years to learn how to become the best version of himself at Texas. And no, he doesn't hold any ill-will towards Ohio State for how everything transpired following his junior year of high school, joining the Buckeyes late in the process.
"I learned a lot while I was there under coach Day and CJ, and just that whole room was awesome to be around. Super thankful for that time that I got to spend there," Ewers noted. "Like I said, I learned a whole lot. So, I don't regret any decision I've made on going or anything like that."
Quinn Ewers Is A Man Of Faith, Proud Other Athletes Are Expressing Their Feelings
There were times when Quinn Ewers wondered if he was making the right decision. Did he move too quickly when deciding to take Ohio State up on their offer to enroll in college a year early? How would his move to Texas actually play out? Could he handle going back to the state he was raised in, and be THE GUY for the Longhorns?
All of these questions went through the mind of the starting quarterback, who will get another chance to play inside AT&T Stadium on Friday. But one of the aspects of his life that has helped him handle some of these tough decisions, while also having a massive spotlight on him at all times in Austin, was his faith.
It was something that never wavered, and his platform gives him the opportunity to share his feelings, no matter the arena he was in at the time.
Quinn Ewers Comes Full Circle Against Ohio State, Leaning On Faith During His Time At Texas (Credit: Getty Images)
Speaking with the media on Wednesday evening after arriving in Dallas, Ewers made it clear that he's excited to see others in sports come out and discuss their beliefs.
"I think as athletes, you go through so many ups and downs, you have to have something to fall back on," Quinn Ewers explained about his faith. "Especially in this world, you cannot rely on what this world tells you, about yourself, especially. I mean this was the world who thought it was a good idea to kill a man who led a perfect life, and then crucify him.
"So, you just can't rely on what the world tells you. But I think it's super-cool to see how everyone is talking about their relationship with God. I see all the stuff that was going on at Ohio State with Trey and all those guys. I think it's super cool to see. I can’t remember what it was, but I saw a bunch of people getting baptized on-campus their, and the students out there, and that's just something that the game of football has allowed these people and these men to do. Them using their platform that way."
If there is one thing that Quinn Ewers has been able to rely on during his time at Ohio State for five months, or his years at Texas leading the Longhorns, it's that his faith has carried him through both the good and bad.
Steve Sarkisian and Ryan Day, before battling in the Cotton Bowl Via: Trey Wallace
Speaking about the journey Ewers has been on, head coach Steve Sarkisian discussed the journey his quarterback has endured in college.
"I'm very proud of Quinn. His journey has been unique to him. It's almost like he's the new era of college football," Sarkisian said Thursday. "Here's a guy that goes to one school, transfers to another, and ends up playing that school in the Semifinals. Just the portal and all that it entails. But it has not been an easy journey for him. There's been ups. There's been downs. There's been injuries. There's been great moments. There's been tough moments. There's been playing his best when his best was needed in critical moments. Last week was no different.
"But at the end of the day, he's always stayed true to who he is. The guy has been a really -- he's been a steady sea for us, and as much as the rocky waters could be around him, he remained very steady, very focused, very attentive to the details. His work ethic has been unmatched. And I've just been proud of him, because I think he's found a source for him that has been a motivating factor where he can play free and play loose and play confidently."
One More College Ride At AT&T Stadium For Quinn Ewers And Texas
Let's be honest, there are not a lot of folks outside the Texas fan base that are picking the Longhorns to win, myself included. I wonder how Quinn Ewers will play if his team has to get into a shootout with the Buckeyes, and that's not some shocking revelation.
It's going to be a challenge for the Texas defense to stop this revitalized Ohio State offense, even with a great defensive unit like the Longhorns have. But for all the times that Quinn Ewers has been counted out, or the numerous occasions where fans were clamoring for more of Arch Manning, this opportunity on Friday night presents a chance for the Longhorns starting quarterback to finish his time playing in the state on a high note.
Ewers knows the feeling of walking off the field inside ‘Jerry's World’ after a loss, which he suffered during his time at Southlake High School. But he also knows what it feels like to succeed in the Cowboys' cathedral, having led the Longhorns to a Big 12 title in 2023.
So, with a spot in the college football playoff title game on the line, and with thousands of fans wearing burnt orange in the stands, Quinn Ewers is not worried about the outside noise of being an underdog - five and a half points to be exact - to Ohio State, because it's all about blocking the outside noise.
"I mean, personally, I don't even know or pay attention to all the – whoever the lines are and all that sort of thing. It doesn’t do anything for me," Ewers said on Wednesday.
After losing last season in the semifinals of the playoff, 2024 presents an opportunity at redemption for the Texas Longhorns. And while he won't admit it, Ewers would love nothing more than to silence the outside, and inside, critics of his game.
On Friday night, he gets that opportunity. One more game with his teammates in Texas, with a win clinching a third trip to Atlanta in the past 45 days, and a championship at stake.
One thing is for certain: Quinn Ewers will leave everything he has on that field, and have faith that it will all work out in the end.