Quinn Ewers off Texas’ bye makes Arch Manning look real comfortable on bench

It's hard to call a top-five team that's started the season 8-1 as "disgruntled," but let's just say that things in Austin were not as rosy as Texas' resume would suggest. The Longhorns got outclassed on national television against Georgia, then went into their bye week fresh off eking out a win on the road against Vanderbilt (understandable this season, but still not the best optics).

And whenever a program like Texas hits even the slightest hint of a rough patch, you know the blame is going to fall on the starting quarterback. Especially when said starting quarterback, Quinn Ewers, throws three picks in a two-game span, including a back-breaker against the Dawgs. And especially when the backup has the last name Manning, and was last seen lighting it up in spot duty against UTSA, UL-Monroe and Mississippi State.

With two long weeks to think about the state of their program, the murmurs started to bubble up: Was Ewers really the guy to lead Texas to an SEC and national title? Wouldn't the team be better off if Steve Sarkisian handed the keys to his five-star sophomore? I mean, just look at how good Arch looked!

Of course, if football has taught us anything by now, it's that things are never as simple as the backup quarterback makes them appear. It turns out Ewers had heard all the chatter in the off week, and he delivered his response on the field in emphatic fashion against Florida on Saturday.

Quinn Ewers puts Arch Manning QB controversy to bed with huge day vs. Florida

Ewers wasn't just good against the Gators. He was darn near perfect, completing 19-of-27 passes for 333 yards and five TDs — and he did it all in just about two-and-a-half quarters of play. Each of Ewers' final four drives of the game ended in scores, against a Florida defense that had looked surprisingly game against Georgia last weekend. He was dropping dimes all afternoon, and stunting while he did it.

Let this be a lesson to any fan thinking about getting antsy with a quarterback with Ewers' resume. The college football season is long, and inevitably filled with peaks and valleys. Sometimes things won't go your way, and even the best players in the country have off days. Manning sure looks like he's going to be a very good player in the future, and Texas is lucky to have him, but he's also very untested to this point in his career. Ewers, meanwhile, has been around the block, and lest we forget he got the Horns to the College Football Playoff less than a year ago. Sark knows his team and his offense, and there's still plenty of time for Ewers and Texas to prove the doubters wrong.