SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAYS

July 17, 2024

Quinn Ewers

Texas Longhorns

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We have Quinn and he's ready for your questions.

Q. Quinn, good to see you. I wanted to ask you, the OU-Texas games, the rivalry, crazy things happen every year. I want to take you back to last year's game. Is that an example of how we look back at the series for the last five, six years. It can come down to the wire. Is that an example of what this series can do, anything can happen?

QUINN EWERS: Yeah, for sure. With rivalries like that, I mean, anything can happen, whether we're ranked No. 1 in the country and OU is not ranked or vice versa. That's just one of those games where, I mean, you've gotta come out and be on your game because you're going to get the other team's best shot, for sure.

Q. Did you get to spend anytime with Jackson Arnold at the Passing Academy, and just your impressions of him, as he's taken over across from you?

QUINN EWERS: Yeah, Jackson is a cool dude to hang around. He's a good dude, can obviously sling it. He grew up around the same area as me, Denton Guyer, I believe right? I played Denton Guyer in high school, it was when Eli Stowers was there, actually. But growing up in the same area you have good conversation starters right there. But, no, he's a cool guy, he's going to do good things for OU, I know. I'm excited to see how they turn out, except for one game out of the year.

Q. Quinn, growing up in the state, how familiar are you with the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry and how excited are you to be a part of the first team to renew it this year?

QUINN EWERS: Stopped playing back in 2011, if I'm correct. I think I was eight, but hearing stories from my family and my dad, my dad actually said he believed growing up that the Texas A&M game was bigger than the Red Rivalry game. I'm excited to have that game back and it's going to be cool, especially going to Kyle Field Thanksgiving weekend and that place is going to be rockin'. We're all fired up for it.

Q. Quinn, Graham Mertz said you and Jaxson Dart played five hours of pool together at the Manning Passing Academy. Who won those matches?

QUINN EWERS: I was a spectator. I was a spectator. I'm not very good at pool but Jaxson Dart was -- he was playing like all day. I wish I could answer that for you, I probably should have said me, but no I was a spectator, unfortunately.

Q. I asked Jahdae Barron what was the most undervalued thing about Pete Kwiatkowski. What would be the most undervalued aspect for Steve Sarkisian on your career and also about DKR in the stadium and the fierce environments in the SEC. What can people expect from the SEC being that there are going to be more night games and what they can expect throughout the season?

QUINN EWERS: Adding DKR to that road atmosphere is going to be good for a lot of teams to experience. I think we do a great job of making it hard on away teams to come in and play, which is great. That's how it should be, right?

I think our fans did a good job. My first year here when Alabama came, showing what we're capable of doing fan base wise, and then the thing that's undervalued about Sark, I think just the way he gets vulnerable with us and shares his life experiences with us and ultimately just wants us to become better people and a better man and honestly a better father and husband overall.

Q. Quinn, I know in 2021 you didn't play in the Texas-Arkansas game, but what does it mean to be able to play in this rendition that dates all the way back to 1894?

QUINN EWERS: It's going to be cool to rekindle that rich, traditional rivalry for sure. I'm excited to go to Arkansas and play against them. Like you said, it dates back to 1800 something? That's crazy. It's going to be good for both universities to finally get back to that. The 50s and 60s, they were going back and forth so that's going to be cool to get to play against them.

Q. When we spoke with Kirby Smart the other day he mentioned the Alabama-Texas game and he said that can prove that Texas is ready to play in the SEC. You were a huge part that. Take me back to that game and do you agree with Coach Smart that that was proving to the SEC that y'all are ready to be here?

QUINN EWERS: I think that shows what we are capable of as a whole. I think the biggest thing for us is, yeah, we're capable of playing games the way we played that one. Now we have to really do it on a much more consistent level. Because week in, week out, we're playing a tough opponent. I definitely can agree with that.

Going into Alabama and playing one of the hardest stadiums to play in, and, you know, against one of the greatest coaches ever is definitely not easy to go in there and accomplish what we accomplished.

Q. You grew up watching Texas. I know you were a little young when Case McCoy was slinging it, but I think a lot of people view you in a similar light at this point in some ways. What do you think of that spotlight on you and how do you think of your role in the Texas community?

QUINN EWERS: There is definitely a lot of pressure that comes with playing quarterback at the University of Texas for sure, but I couldn't be more blessed and excited for the opportunity that I've been granted from the good Lord above and the platform He has given me and I'm just excited for year three.

Q. Quinn, it's a fascinating schedule. Trip to Michigan, you're hosting Georgia, all these old rivalries back. What was your first reaction when you saw the schedule released and all those interesting match-ups? What was your first reaction?

QUINN EWERS: Overall just excitement because, you know, to be the best you've got to play the best. We're all fired up to go, like you said, up to Ann Arbor. It's actually my second time going up there. I was up there when Ohio State played 'em back in 2021. It's going to be cool to go back up there and see, and now I understand the hatred that Ohio State has for them. I understand the rivalry. So it's going to be cool to carry that. Overall excited for the season and all the great games that we're going to have on schedule.

Q. You were draft eligible, you chose to come back to Texas for one more season. What were the big factors in deciding that the NFL can wait and you wanted to keep playing college football?

QUINN EWERS: I think one of the main things for me was getting more experience under my belt. There is a line of demarcation for guys who really have success in the league and obviously there are some guys that have rare accounts of it not being this way, but there is a line, kind of 25, 25 starts, that guys -- you see a jump in how their career went and I just kinda wanted to give myself a better chance to have a long and successful career in the NFL. I don't want to be a guy that just comes and goes. I want to be somebody who is remembered.

Q. Good to see you.

QUINN EWERS: Yep.

Q. You're getting a lot of questions about a back-up quarterback but the real question is tell us about Trey Owens and Cole Lourd, the real guys in that quarterback room.

QUINN EWERS: They ended up winning that spring game, didn't they? I think they did. I mean, y'all saw how capable all those guys are in that room. That's why I'm so grateful that I'm able to play the position, and Coach Sark trusts me with his baby, which is the offense and gave me the keys. Cole Lourd, the way he comes to work every day and grinds, it's cool to see and inspiring. And Trey, he's a young guy, goofy, funny to be around. So it's been cool to see both of them grow for sure.

Q. What can you tell us about the two transfers from Alabama, receivers, and what do you anticipate telling your teammates about playing in the big house in Ann Arbor?

QUINN EWERS: Yeah, I mean both those guys have come in full speed and have really succeeded within the offense. I think they do some similar things over there in Alabama that we do. Coach Sark came from there, so they're going to carry some of his stuff.

They've done a great job. Obviously we've seen glimpses of what both of them are capable of doing. Isaiah came on late for them and, you know, Amari had a good play against us, made a couple of our defenders look silly. But both those guys are going to be big contributors for us, for sure.

Going up to the big house, it's going to be an awesome environment. Place is going to be rockin', especially with all the hype, because it's an early game, and they're coming off a really big win, the National Championship. The team up north.

THE MODERATOR: Quinn, thank you very much.

QUINN EWERS: Thank you.