In a resounding 37-10 victory over Rice last Saturday, the Texas Longhorns showcased the potential their offense has, with quarterback Quinn Ewers leading the charge with four touchdowns.
However, as the Longhorns prepare to face the powerhouse Alabama Crimson Tide tonight, there are growing concerns about Ewers’ ability to stretch the field with deep passes.
Longtime Texas sportswriter Kirk Bohls, a respected football voice in Texas, expressed his concerns during an appearance on “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.”
While Bohls praised Texas wide receiver group, he highlighted Ewers’ struggles with deep ball accuracy as a potential issue for the team’s offense.
“They’ve got to create more balance and more rushing lanes, and those weren’t there and haven’t been there consistently,” Bohls noted. “And Quinn Ewers has not hit the deep ball. On Saturday against Rice, he was 0-for-7 on passes of 20 yards or more.”
How will @TexasFootball find the edge against @AlabamaFTBL this weekend? @kbohls educates us on the Longhorns across the board https://t.co/TJuTP14NEB
— McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning (@macandcube) September 5, 2023
Bohls further emphasized the importance of the deep ball in head coach Steve Sarkisian’s offensive strategy.
“Sark, he loves to stretch the field, and that was a problem last year. Quinn was not accurate on the deep ball,” Bohls said.
The sportswriter’s concerns extended to tonight’s massive showdown with the Crimson Tide. Sarkisian believes that Texas needs the threat of the deep ball to keep defenses honest. Bohls, however, questioned the effectiveness of this strategy, given Ewers’ struggles.
“If it’s not working, how much of a threat is it?” Bohls asked, raising doubts about whether Ewers can consistently connect on deep throws. “Even though you’ve got [one of] the most talented receivers in the world, he’s not hitting them in stride, he’s either under throwing or over throwing.”
“(He) puts too much air into it, and quite frankly guys, of the three quarterbacks they have, [Ewers] has the weakest arm of the three.”
Do you agree with Bohls? (Personally, I think he’s being too hard on Ewers.)
Will Sark and the Longhorns turn to Arch Manning at any point this season?
Who will win tonight – Texas or Alabama?