Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger deserves better than this

Sam Ehlinger is trying to carry Texas football on his back and the Longhorns keep letting him down

Sam Ehlinger can’t do it all by himself. But he sure does try.

In Saturday’s Red River Showdown, Ehlinger scored six touchdowns, throwing for 287 yards and rushing for 112. He engineered a 14-point comeback in the fourth quarter to force overtime, ultimately throwing an interception in the fourth frame to lose, 53-45.

The Texas quarterback has put the Longhorns on his back too many times over the year. They’ve got to start giving him more.

Sam Ehlinger deserves better from Texas football

Ehlinger isn’t perfect. However, he’s one of the greatest quarterbacks in Texas history. His 2-2 record in 2020 has much more to do with the support around him than his performance.

Simply put, Ehlinger has been outstanding. He hasn’t scored less than four touchdowns in each of the four games he’s played this year. Any success the Longhorns have found has come at the fingertips or feet of their quarterback.

What is a quarterback supposed to do when his defense makes a habit of giving up more than 30 points a game?

What is he supposed to do when his offensive line lets the opposition through for six sacks? It could have been much higher if not for Ehlinger’s playmaking as a scrambler.

That last series in the fourth overtime was an example of that. The Longhorns made it to first-and-goal but a holding penalty set them up on the 19-yard line. Ehlinger was intercepted trying to make something out of nothing.

For what its worth, head coach Tom Herman can acknowledge his failings on this front after his lack of boldness buried the Longhorns.

“We as a family didn’t do enough collectively for him to finish his career against these guys the way that he deserved to,” Herman said, according to Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman. “I feel like we all let him down.”

Truer words have never come out of Herman’s mouth.

Ehlinger will end his career with a 1-3 record against Oklahoma. In those four meetings, he scored 15 touchdowns.

Imagine what he might have accomplished with the Longhorns if they rose to meet his level.

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