Steve Sarkisian explains why he temporarily substituted Quinn Ewers for Arch Manning

There's no question that Arch Manning is a talent, but until Saturday night there was no doubt about his role either.

Manning committed to Texas knowing he would be the replacement for Quinn Ewers and his heir apparent.

But for the first time since the two wore the orange and white, Ewers took the bench for Manning, officially sparking a quarterback controversy.

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Arch Manning and Quinn Ewers of the Texas Longhorns talk on the field before a game at Cotton Bowl Stadium on Oct. 12, 2024 in Dallas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Late in the second half, with the Longhorns trailing 20-0 and Ewers already turning the ball over twice, Sarkisian made the wild move, bringing Manning on for the final two series of the half.

Granted, Manning played very well while Ewers was injured, but Ewers is likely a first-round pick. Still, Sarkisian thought it would be a good idea to sit him down.

Ewers started the second half and finished the game, but he couldn't avoid the questions.

But Sarkisian said it was more of a strategy that favored Ewers, not necessarily putting the better player in the game (it also didn't help that Texas didn't score when Manning was on the field).

Arch Manning of the Texas Longhorns plays against the Georgia Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Austin. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)

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“I was just trying to calm Quinn down a little bit and give us a little momentum,” Sarkisian said after the game. “We have to get out of our own way. As a unit we are not playing particularly well at the moment. Thank God our defense puts out a few fires for us.”

However, Sarkisian declined all questions about whether they had a quarterback battle.

“Quinn is our starting quarterback,” he said.

“I appreciate the fact that we're fortunate to have a backup like Arch who can come in and provide a spark in some way, but at the end of the day, Quinn is our starter.”

Quinn Ewers of the Texas Longhorns throws against the Georgia Bulldogs on October 19, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)

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Ewers completed 25 of 43 passes for 211 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and one fumble – Manning went 3-6 for 32 yards. However, nothing was enough for Texas as they lost 30-15 to No. 5 seed Georgia.

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