Horns expect Ewers to be ready to begin vs

Dave Wilson, ESPN Personnel WriterOct 7, 2024, 02:23 PM ET

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Dave Wilson is a college football press reporter. He previously worked at The Dallas Morning News, San Diego Union-Tribune and Las Vegas Sun.Coach Steve Sarkisian

anticipates quarterback Quinn Ewers to be ready to begin when No. 1 Texas plays No. 18 Oklahoma in the Allstate Red River Competition on Saturday in Dallas, but the Longhorns will continue to monitor his recovery through the week.Ewers suffered an oblique injury while tossing across his body and was changed by Arch Manning in Texas ‘triumph against UTSA on Sept. 14. Manning started the past two games– success over UL Monroe and Mississippi State.Sarkisian said Ewers practiced three times recently and once again Monday.”I thought he looked great coming off the bye,”

Sarkisian said.”I believe if any person benefited from the time off, it was probably him

. We’re going to monitor him daily simply to sort of see how he continues to progress, however I feel good about how he was [Monday]”I feel good about him going into Saturday, but that stays to be seen.”Editor’s Picks 2 Related Sarkisian stated he expects the unforeseen against the

Sooners (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC ), considering that they are both coming off bye weeks. The Longhorns understand they’ll

need to prepare

for new OU starter Michael Hawkins Jr., who took control of for a having a hard time Jackson Arnold.Hawkins, a freshman, was 10-for-15 for 161 yards, ran for 69 yards and a rating and included a 2-point conversion in his first start– a 27-21 roadway win at Auburn.”He went 50 for a touchdown versus Auburn, so we got to be actually conscious of his ability to extend plays and then produce explosive [plays] with his legs,” Sarkisian said.Nine of the last 10 games between the competitors have actually been chosen by a one score or less. Last year was another traditional, with No. 12 Oklahoma driving 75 yards in five plays, capped by Dillon Gabriel’s 3-yard goal pass to Nic Anderson with 15 seconds delegated beat the No. 3 Longhorns 34-30. In that game, Ewers threw for 346 yards, but had 2 interceptions and was sacked five times, tied for the most in a game in his career.This is the 44th time both teams will be ranked heading into the game, which is second only to the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry (49 ). It’s the 5th time Texas will get in the game ranked No. 1; Texas is 3-0-1 in the previous 4.”There’s just stuff that takes place in this game that I believe that’s

what makes this game special, “Sarkisian said.”We’re fortunate to be part of it. And this week’s no various.”In between the stakes and the environment at the State Fair of Texas, Sarkisian stated he’s not going to need any inspirational tactics.

“To think I’m going to have to give some Knute Rockne speech to prepare yourself for this game is probably not real, “Sarkisian said. “I might most likely show up at kickoff and

our guys will be prepared to play on Saturday early morning.”