Texas star quarterback Quinn Ewers will return for the Longhorns' rivalry showdown vs. Oklahoma on Saturday after missing the last three games due to a clavicle sprain, according to ESPN. Though Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian stopped short of confirming the start, he told reporters Thursday that Ewers and fellow Texas quarterback Hudson Card "are probably about as healthy as they've been in about a month."
Ewers suffered the injury to his non-throwing shoulder during the first quarter of Texas' 20-19 loss to Alabama on Sept. 10. Since then, he's been spotted making throws during pregame warmups while rehabbing and has been a limited participant in practices, according to multiple reports. He also traveled with the team and dressed for Texas' 37-34 loss at Texas Tech in Week 4 and was on the sideline again for the Week 5 game against West Virginia on Saturday.
This week, however, he's been full participant in practice with no limitations, according to ESPN.
"Quinn is a very even-keeled guy," Sarkisian said Thursday. "He's not overly emotional. He takes things in stride as they come, but yet he's highly competitive. I give him a lot of credit throughout this process of staying engaged. We pushed him, and we've been pushing him for the last month. On that aspect of it, I think it's been good for him because he's made really good progress with, not only with his health but schematically as well."
Card filled in admirably for the Longhorns amid Ewers' absence and has completed 69.2% of his passes with six touchdowns and just one interception in five games. But Ewers was the nation's No. 1 prospect in the 2021 recruiting class and flashed considerable promise early this season before he was knocked out against the Crimson Tide.
During a Week 1 win over Louisiana-Monroe and in one quarter against Alabama, Ewers combined to complete 25 of 36 passes for 359 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Oklahoma's quarterback situation is also up in the air entering Saturday's game after starter Dillon Gabriel suffered a blow to the head that forced him out of the loss to TCU last week. Sooners coach Brent Venables has declined to reveal whether Gabriel will play this week.
