Analyst questions the actual length of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian’s leash for Quinn Ewers as Longhorns QB1

CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford wonders whether Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is giving Quinn Ewers a long leash as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback after substituting him for Arch Manning during a 30-15 Week 8 loss to Georgia.

“Did Steve Sarkisian panic too early against Georgia? “People ask,” Crawford prefaced, before saying, “His decision to bring Quinn Ewers on to Arch Manning for a change of pace in the second quarter represented the length of the leash that Sarkisian actually has on his starting quarterback, even though Ewers.” came back in the second half and threw two touchdowns.”

Sarkisian didn’t even want to be asked about the possibility of Manning replacing Ewers before the Oct. 19 game against the Dawgs.

“I’m not even going to answer that. I don’t know what the question is. Next question,” Sarkisian said on Oct. 17.

Apparently, the possibility of having to make a tough QB decision against an even tougher Georgia defense kept Sarkisian up all night. He’s been known to have outbursts in response to things, but he only fanned the flames of a QB competition by temporarily replacing Ewers with Manning on Saturday.

Arch Manning appeared to be a fixture on the Texas bench before a brief opportunity against Georgia

Manning was believed to be on the bench for the entire 2024 season before his brief appearance against the Bulldogs in Week 8. Sarkisian’s words flowed into this story. But a brief appearance against Georgia means there’s a chance of seeing him all season.

A 5 star hotel that can find a million dollar hotel in the off season in a place like Michigan should see snaps. So Sarkisian isn’t wrong to keep the Manning option open.

But a QB controversy involving two NFL-caliber talents will stress Sarkisian. And that stress, like everything, is greater in Texas.