Football

Texas QB Quinn Ewers praising the Lord as he leads No. 4 Longhorns: 'God is so good'

By Joshua Doering Sep 12, 2023
Texas quarterback Qunn Ewers throws a pass against Alabama on Sept. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

Quarterback Quinn Ewers arrived at the University of Texas last season with massive expectations. Ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the country by 247 Sports and Rivals, Ewers transferred from Ohio State after one year to come back to his home state and try to get the Longhorns back among the nation’s elite.

He started 2022 off well with 225 passing yards and two touchdowns against Louisiana-Monroe, and the next week was 9-of-12 for 134 yards against No. 1 Alabama before being forced to exit with a shoulder injury at the end of the first quarter. Ewers missed the next three weeks but then returned in the Longhorns’ 49-0 win over Oklahoma. He led Texas to a 5-3 record the rest of the season, which included a loss to Washington in the Alamo Bowl.

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The uneven finish to the season led some to question if Ewers should continue as the Longhorns starter, especially considering another No. 1 recruit, Arch Manning, had committed to Texas. But Ewers won the starting job again.

And he got another chance to face the Crimson Tide on Saturday. The Southlake, Texas, native made the most of it, throwing for 349 yards and three touchdowns as the Longhorns picked up a 34-24 victory on the road.

Ewers was named Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week for his performance, and Texas moved up to fourth in the Associated Press college football poll. It is the first time since 2010 the school has been in the top five.

Speaking on the field after Saturday’s game, ESPN’s Holly Rowe asked Ewers how his sacrifices and discipline paid off against Alabama. The QB responded by talking about the spiritual growth he’s experienced.

“We knew this whole week if we came in here, we were going to ball out. We were going to try to make them quit,” Ewers said, adding later, “God is so good. I can’t say that enough, how much God has put me through. He’s made me so strong. I’m so proud of my team, our defense, we balled out. I’m fired up for the rest of the way.”

His faith played a key role in his decision to transfer to Texas. Ewers wrote a piece for the Players’ Tribune last year about choosing to come home and specifically mentioned prayer as part of his decision-making process.

“It’s hard to make life-changing decisions when you’re only 17 or 18 years old,” he wrote. “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. ”

During his first media session as a Longhorn, Ewers expressed his thanks to God for the opportunity to play for Texas.

“I grew up always watching the Longhorns play, wanting to be in the burnt orange,” Ewers said in April 2022. “There was a little obstacle in between, but I ended up here and I’m very thankful for all the opportunities God has given me.”

Ewers regularly uses his social media accounts to share his faith and post Bible verses. His cover photo on X (formerly Twitter) is a picture of three crosses, and he put a cross emoji in his Instagram bio.

 

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A post shared by Quinn Ewers (@quinn_ewers)

Ewers also has two tattoos related to Bible verses. Luke 17:21 is tattooed on his right forearm, and there is a tattoo with a cross and “Joshua 1:9” on his chest. The verse says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

As hype grows about Ewers being a potential Heisman Trophy candidate thanks to the Longhorns’ impressive start, he’ll aim to redirect the praise to God. Texas hosts Wyoming on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on the Longhorn Network.

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