What Texas QB Quinn Ewers had to say to Longhorns fans via The Players’ Tribune
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is very aware of the amount of pressure he is under.
Being the quarterback at a blue blood program like Texas isn’t for the faint of heart, and it’s often tough for those players to balance expectations while also possessing confidence.
As we’ve all probably seen by now, numerous national media outlets have seemingly put the future success of Texas squarely on the shoulders of Ewers. Whether that’s a fair statement or not, it’s what comes with the job.
Unlike former quarterback Sam Ehlinger, Ewers has the expectations surrounding him to live up to his perfect five-star rating. However, Ewers doesn’t want to get too far ahead of himself and just continue to be a simple guy.
Texas fans got the chance to read a letter from Ewers in The Players’ Tribune on Tuesday. He touched on the pressure surrounding him, why he chose to transfer, and his relationship with Steve Sarkisian.
Here’s a few interesting points Ewers expressed in his letter.
It's always been a dream
It’s always been my dream to be a Longhorn.
Every Saturday for as long as I can remember, my family would be glued to the TV watching Texas play. Just the other day my mom was telling me about when I was two years old, and we watched Vince Young and the 2005 team win the Rose Bowl together. (Apparently, I had kid-size Longhorn gear and everything.) Stuff like that just reminds me how, at my core, it’s always been Texas.
Receiving Vince Young's stamp of approval
For Vince to give me his stamp of approval on Twitter … that was an amazing moment for me. What he was able to do for the program, what he’s left behind — he’s a legend. So to be in the same conversation as him in any way is an honor. But I’m also not gonna get too far ahead of myself. I’m just focused on being the best quarterback I can be.
"I'm a simple guy"
I’m just trying to keep the main thing the main thing.
And for me, that’s always been football.
I’m a simple guy, so it wasn’t some big moment that started my quarterback dreams. Honestly, one of my favorite memories is just throwing the football around with my dad in our backyard. I know it might seem small. It’s not anything crazy like hurdling over somebody in middle school on the way to the end zone (haha, we can talk about that another time), or winning state championships, or breaking records. But I love that my football journey started with the man who introduced me to the game.
The pressure that comes with re-committing to Texas
There’s a lot of pressure that comes with this kind of thing. There was already a lot of pressure when I made this decision the first time, and now that I’ve gone through the process again, there might have been even more pressure the second time around.
Why he chose Texas
I didn’t just choose to go anywhere. I chose a program I truly believe in. I chose to come home.
It’s hard to make life-changing decisions when you’re only 17 or 18 years old. But this time I really just tried to block out all the noise, and focus on what I wanted for myself. It took a lot of prayer, but I’m confident in the choice I made.
If you’re looking for a messier answer, you won’t find that here. I enjoyed my time at Ohio State, and I look back on it as a lesson that’s pushed me to where I’m meant to be. I’m grateful for the experience.
His relationship with Steve Sarkisian
This new chapter in my life and career has been a long time coming, though, and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s next for this program. Coach Sarkisian and I have a good relationship, and I totally trust him and our staff. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here right now. It’s that simple.
Looking ahead to the 2022 season
We’re ready for this year.
There’s a different type of confidence in the air right now. It’s refreshing, and it’s exciting. It’s Coach Sarkisian’s second year, and everyone’s aware of the expectations. And we all know it won’t happen overnight. But we’re ready to rise to the occasion.
As for me?
Y’all should know I’m one of the most competitive people out there. Officially starting my quarterback career as a Longhorn is a dream come true, and I’m prepared to give everything I’ve got to help this program get to where it needs to be.
It all starts now.
Hook ’em.
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