Report: Texas’ Quinn Ewers takes QB1 reps ahead of Arch Manning before OU game | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is reportedly back.

While the signal caller missed the Longhorns’ last two games due to an abdominal strain, Orangebloods.com’s Anwar Richardson reported that he took over first-team reps from Arch Manning during Tuesday’s practice.

Texas has a bye week and will play rival Oklahoma on October 12.

A source told Richardson: “Quinn is playing (against Oklahoma). There’s no way he’s missing this game or the rest of the season. He wants to win the SEC and a Natty.”

This comes after head coach Steve Sarkisian provided an update on Monday.

“We haven’t had any setbacks,” Sarkisian told reporters. “It’s been steady progress. I think he’s getting stronger, more comfortable and more confident, so that will keep us on track a little bit.”

Luckily for Texas, it still beat UL Monroe and Mississippi State without its starting quarterback thanks to Manning’s presence. The cousin of Peyton and Eli Manning and the No. 1 overall player in the class of 2023, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, also played against UTSA after Ewers left with the injury.

Manning has played well and has completed 70.5 percent of his passes for 900 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions, while adding 82 yards and three scores on the ground as a runner this season.

Yet it was Ewers who turned heads in the Longhorns’ most notable game of the season so far.

He went 24 of 36 for 246 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions as he led Texas to a dominant 31-12 road victory over the reigning champion Michigan Wolverines. The game wasn’t even as close as the final score indicated, as the SEC team largely turned the game back to offense in the second half.

It was the kind of performance that could resonate with Heisman Trophy voters down the road, especially if he returns and continues to play at a high level in SEC play.

The next two games for the Longhorns are against the Sooners and Georgia Bulldogs, so there won’t be much time to adjust for Ewers when he returns to the field. But at least the bye week means he’ll have extra practice reps for a team that has realistic national title aspirations.