Texas QB Quinn Ewers isn't opting out, but will he be replaced by Arch Manning?

On Monday, confusion and concern spread among Texas Longhorns fans after a now-deleted Instagram post by 247Sports claimed that starting quarterback Quinn Ewers would sit out the remainder of the season to prepare for the NFL Draft. The post quickly went viral, causing a flurry of speculation about Ewers’ future with the team.

However, this report was swiftly debunked. Sources close to Ewers confirmed that he had not made any decision to opt out of the season, labeling the report as false. Ewers himself addressed the rumors later that evening, posting a story on Instagram with a picture of former President Donald Trump and the caption “Fake News,” directly refuting the claims.

The situation was further clarified when 247Sports’ Chip Brown reported that the Instagram post had been the result of a hack, leading to its removal shortly after publication. Despite the erroneous report, Ewers practiced with the team on Monday as they prepare for their upcoming game against Vanderbilt.

Ewers had a notable performance over the weekend in a game against Georgia, where he was briefly replaced by freshman quarterback Arch Manning in the first half. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian explained that the switch was made to give Ewers time to regroup after appearing "uneasy" on the field.

Ewers returned in the second half, finishing the game with 211 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Sarkisian confirmed that Ewers remains the starting quarterback and emphasized that improvements are needed from both the coaching staff and players to enhance overall team performance.

Will Quinn Ewers be replaced by Arch Manning?

While it seems to be a given at this point that Ewers won't opt out of the season — though crazier things have happened — there are questions surrounding the future of the starting quarterback position at Texas, especially if it's not smooth sailing from here on out.

Though Sarkisian claims the decision was only made a precaution to "calm Ewers down," he could've quickly been embroiled in quarterback controversy had Arch Manning led the Longhorns on a touchdown drive.

There have already been whispers from the Texas fan community calling for Arch Manning to get more playing time. Those voices will only get louder if things don't turn around for the Longhorns in the coming weeks, starting this Saturday at Vanderbilt.

If the Commodores — led by Diego Pavia — somehow pull off the upset, you'll see that quiet contingent become loud very quickly.

Even if it doesn't happen this week, this is still something to keep on your radar. The next time that Ewers struggles, Manning will get another chance and he may not let go of the reins then.

After Vanderbilt, Texas will close out the 2024 season vs. Florida, at Arkansas, vs. Kentucky, and at Texas A&M.