As Ohio State prepares to face Texas in the College Football Playoff’s Cotton Bowl on Jan 10, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day admitted that losing star quarterback Quinn Ewers to the Longhorns in 2021 was a difficult moment for the program. Ewers left Ohio State after registering just two snaps and has since blossomed at Texas, earning conference accolades and establishing himself as one of the nation’s better quarterbacks.

Ewers is a San Antonio native, a former five-star top recruit, and the best overall player in the class of 2022 out of Southlake Carroll High School. He threw for 6,445 passing yards, 73 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions while completing 70 percent of his passes. The dual-threat talent’s mobility resulted in 701 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.

His dominant high school career made Ewers the top quarterback prospect in the 2021 class, originally committing to Texas in August 2020 before de-committing two months later to join Ohio State. Ewers arrived in Columbus in a crowded quarterback room that featured future NFL Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud, Kyle McCord, and Jack Miller III.

Stroud was drafted second overall by the Houston Texans in 2023 after solidifying his position as Ohio State’s starter, leaving little opportunity for Ewers to see significant playing time. McCord left the program to play at Syracuse, where he led the Orange to a 10-3 record under head coach Fran Brown and finished 10th overall in the Heisman rankings. Miller III left the Buckeyes to transfer to Florida, where he’d retire from college football, and Ewers left for Texas.

Ewers cited a desire to be closer to family and friends as the reason for his transfer. “I grew up always watching the Longhorns play, wanted to be in that burnt orange,” said the QB after the decision. “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.”

“At the end of the day, I just wanted to be closer to my family and friends and stuff like that,” Ewers explained. Since his transfer, Ewers has earned second-team All-Big 12 honors and Big 12 Championship MVP in 2023 before securing second-team All-SEC honors in 2024.

Quinn Ewers hugs his coach

Quinn Ewers won the Peach Bowl for Texas ( 

Image:

Getty Images)

Ewers will face his former team in a high-stakes playoff matchup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with the winner advancing to the National Championship on Jan 20 as the world hounds the junior QB’s placement in the team over a prodigy in Arch Manning. The Buckeyes will look to contain Ewers’ potent offensive abilities despite being a -5.5 favorite for the game.

Leading up to the game, Day spoke openly about Ewers’ exit from the program and said that it was a move he never wanted to happen. “I remember grabbing him and grabbing his dad and said, ‘Man, you’ve got a bright future ahead of you. I don’t know if this is good or bad, but we’re going to offer you a scholarship to Ohio State.,” he said. ”

“He always had a great attitude. You could see the talent. Certainly, didn’t want to see him leave, but we knew he was going to be a special player,” he continued. “He’s had a great career at Texas. A lot of people here still have good relationships with him and think the world of him.”