“There was a little obstacle in between”: When Quinn Ewers opened up about challenges leading up to Texas commitment

Following an uneventful freshman season at Ohio State in 2021, Quinn Ewers announced his transfer to Texas following the conclusion of the season. The transfer, ahead of the 2022 college football season, marked a return home for the quarterback, who grew up in Southlake, Texas.

As the top overall recruit in his class, Ewers initially committed to the Longhorns before flipping to the Buckeyes. During his first spring game at Texas, Ewers explained his desire to play for the Longhorns from a young age and how that journey hit some snags.

“I grew up always watching the Longhorns play, wanted to be in that burnt orange,” Ewers said in 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."

“I’m just excited to be back in the home state. At the end of the day, I just wanted to be closer to my family and friends and stuff like that.”

Quinn Ewers explains his return to Texas in 2024

Following his redshirt sophomore season at Texas, Quinn Ewers was expected to declare for the 2024 NFL draft. He had a strong season with the Longhorns, leading them to the Big 12 Championship and the College Football Playoff, where they lost the Sugar Bowl to Washington.

However, despite considering a transition to the professional stage, Ewers decided to return for another season in Austin. He explained his decision to stay in college football during Texas’ spring practice in March.

“I guess the main thing for me was just getting more experience," Ewers said. "I had some people put together a pretty good chart on the more you play and the more experience you have, the better you end up playing and succeeding in the NFL.

“I just wanted to put myself in a better spot to be able to succeed at a high level once I hopefully get there. Since I was a kid, I always wanted to play in the NFL and succeed at a high level in the NFL. To get to that point, I think it was just better for me to just stay another year and just enjoy it.”

Quinn Ewers had a solid season at Texas in 2024 despite challenges in playing in a new conference. He threw for 2,665 yards and 25 touchdowns, despite missing a couple of games due to injury. He once again led the Longhorns to the conference championship game and the College Football Playoff.