- NCAA. Would Texas have beaten Ohio State if Arch Manning played? Fans' opinions are divided
- NCAA. The Quinn Ewers friendship that left the quarterback looking bad at the most important moment of his career
Quinn Ewers can't catch a break. The Texas Longhorns quarterback suffered an unfortunate setback in the most important game of his career, the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State, and criticism was quick to rain down on him, starting with harsh comments from Shannon Sharpe and Chad Ochocinco.
After a shaky season, Ewers had the opportunity to redeem himself with a victory over the Buckeyes that would also give them a ticket to the National Championship game on January 20. However, Texas lost 28-14 with a lackluster performance from Ewers.
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The Longhorns signal-caller completed 23 es in 39 attempts for 283 yards and two touchdowns. However, he also threw an interception and fumbled a ball that Jack Sawyer returned for a touchdown, sealing Texas' loss and earning criticism from Sharpe and Ochocinco.
Ewers is an average QB
On his podcast, Nightcap, "Uncle" Sharpe ripped Ewers' performance against Ohio State, saying, "He is missing throws. The guy runs like a square out and he oversails it. That's a routine throw. If you can't make that throw with no pressure, what throw can you make?"
The former Denver Broncos tight end finished off Ewers by saying, "I just look at him and he's average." Ochocinco was quick to back Sharpe up, even going a step further by rating almost every quarterback of this generation as average.
According to Ochocinco, even Notre Dame's Riley Leonard and Penn State's Drew Allar are unremarkable players with nothing to separate them from the pack. The former NFL star warned that any team that drafts either quarterback will have to surround them with a star-studded roster to make them stand out.
Quinn Ewers or Arch Manning
Friday's loss to Ohio State only fueled the debate over who should be head coach Steve Sarkisian's starter next season. Fans and media alike have again called for Arch Manning under center, complicating the position for Ewers and Sarkisian.
Some analysts speculate that, with one year of eligibility left, Ewers will opt to enter the transfer portal in search of a new NCAA team to complete his development. This will clear the way for Manning and Sarkisian to prove the fans right.