An injury to Quinn Ewers ended the Arch Manning show in Texas.
The boy from one of the most famous football families struck immediately.
Manning threw four touchdowns and ran 67 yards for another score after taking over for Ewers in the second quarter to lead the No. 2 Longhorns to a 56-7 victory over UTSA on Saturday night.
Texas (3-0) led 14-0 when Ewers left with what coach Steve Sarkisian called tight abs. Manning threw a 19-yard touchdown to DeAndre Moore on his first play, then broke off the long sprint for another touchdown on Texas’ next possession as several UTSA (1-2) defenders chased him down.
“When the adrenaline starts flowing, you can run faster,” Manning said.
Manning connected with Isaiah Bond for a 51-yard TD on Texas’ first series of the third quarter, making it 35-7. His next throw was a 75-yard deep strike TD to Ryan Wingo. He completed 9 of 12 passes for 223 yards and left the game early in the fourth quarter after his final touchdown pass to Johntay Cook II.
“It helps when you have great players and great coaches around you,” Manning said.
The five-star recruit with NFL pedigree is the nation’s most flashy backup quarterback. With crisp passing and an unexpected burst of speed, Manning showed he should live up to expectations.
Manning is the son of Cooper Manning, the grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, and the nephew of Super Bowl-winning QBs Peyton and Eli Manning. And if Ewers is out for an extended period, Texas still has time to develop Manning as a starter before the schedule gets much tougher.
Texas hosts Louisiana-Monroe next week and then opens its first SEC schedule at home against Mississippi State on Sept. 28. The Longhorns then have a week off before their annual rivalry with Oklahoma.
Texas has not yet announced how long Ewers, who entered the game as a favorite for the Heisman Trophy, will be out.
Sarkisian noted that Ewers’ injury was not caused by contact.
“It’s still a question of how serious that is. We don’t think it’s structural or broken,” Sarkisian said.
Ewers had just completed a 49-yard pass to tight end Gunnar Helm on a deep throw and then handed the ball off to Quintrevion Wisner before the latter waved to the team’s medical staff and lay on his back.
Ewers eventually walked off the field, but pulled his shirt over his face as he entered the medical tent. He stood in street clothes on the sideline in the third quarter.
Manning called Ewers one of his best friends on the team, noting that the two are roommates when the Longhorns get together the night before games.
“I’ve learned so much from him,” Manning said. “He’s been the guy for me, and I hope he does well.”
Sarkisian praised Manning’s calmness at the time.
“It’s tough when you have a backup who doesn’t have a lot of experience. Arch was our third man last year,” Sarkisian said. “There’s nothing like being in the game. Playing in front of 105,000 people is not the easiest thing to do. I’m really proud of Arch.”