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Once an Ohio State football player, always an Ohio State football player. Quinn Ewers, a star quarterback from Southlake Carroll, Texas, had an interesting journey. After two transfers and a kombucha tea deal, he returned to Texas to play for the Longhorns.
Ewers has been sensational for Texas. He helped them reach the playoffs last year.
However, you’re not going to Kansas anymore. You’ll be heading to places like Ann Arbor, Michigan, and other loud venues in the SEC.
Ewers might enjoy taking Texas to face the national champions this season. But calling them The Team Up North won’t sit well in SEC country.
“I know head coach Steve Sarkisian will have his team ready to play,” someone said. “But the SEC is a different beast.”
“Going up to The Big House, it’s gonna be an awesome environment,” Ewers mentioned. “The place is gonna be rocking, especially with all the hype because it’s an early game. They’re coming off a really big win – the national championship. Yeah, The Team Up North.”
Ewers is incredibly talented but has struggled with injuries over the past two years.
Ohio State transfer Texas QB Quinn Ewers still refers to Michigan as ‘The Team Up North’
(via @emkamikow) https://t.co/9pS7a2VPRJ pic.twitter.com/mbNkIbMKdS
— On3 (@On3sports) July 18, 2024
He could become the next Matthew Stafford or end up like fragile Sam Bradford.
Quinn Ewers takes the bait in criticizing Michigan during SEC Media Days.
Ewers might be a first-round lock as a quarterback prospect. He’s played for top-tier programs like Ohio State and Texas over the last three years. But there are no Ohio States in this league.
In the SEC, every week feels like a bloodbath. Unless you have Vanderbilt on your schedule, you’re not getting easy wins like in the old Big 12.
Crushing teams like Baylor or Kansas isn’t what SEC football is about. It’s about surviving intense atmospheres, where even cowbells can make your head spin.
If Texas enters the SEC thinking it’s superior, they’ll face a rude awakening. All 15 other teams will hit them with the “Horns Down” gesture frequently.
Ultimately, Texas is entering a challenging league where minor issues get magnified. Lincoln Riley never faced this; Sarkisian will have to navigate it.
I still believe Texas is a top-four team, and Ewers is fantastic. But optics matter more than ever now.
