CLEVELAND, Ohio — Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers spent more time discussing his semester in Columbus this week than he spent playing football there. Literally.
On one Cotton Bowl Zoom call alone, Ewers fielded seven of 13 questions about his freshman season at Ohio State. He played two snaps that year and never threw a pass. But three seasons after he transferred, and four days before the biggest game of the Longhorns’ 2024 season, the senior continued fielding inquiries concerning the 2021 Buckeyes.
What’d you learn there? Who do you still talk to? Why’d you leave?
“The reason I came back to Texas,” Ewers explained again earlier this week, “was to be closer to where I’m from, and just closer to the resources that I have and the relationships that I’ve built over time just being from Texas.”
OSU defensive end Jack Sawyer killed the conversation during Ohio State’s 28-14 win over Ewers’ Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl, which brought the Buckeyes a step closer to hanging a banner.
With 2:13 to play and eight yards separating Ewers from a game-tying touchdown, Sawyer strip-sacked his old roommate on fourth down and returned the fumble 83 yards for a touchdown. The Buckeyes intercepted Ewers one drive later, sending him to the NFL and themselves to the national title game.
Any further questions about what could’ve been?
You’ll have to forgive the inquiring minds. They’re not used to five-star quarterbacks leaving Ohio State’s campus once they arrive. And over the last two seasons, the Buckeyes’ conveyor belt of big-ticket quarterbacks hasn’t moved as methodically.
Reminder: This program passed a baton from J.T. Barrett to Dwayne Haskins, from Haskins to Justin Fields, and from Fields to C.J. Stroud to begin coach Ryan Day’s tenure (first as offensive coordinator, then as head coach). That’s three first-round picks, plus the program’s all-time leader in touchdowns. Pretty good.
Since Ewers left in 2021, however, the Buckeyes have lost two rivalry games to a former Buckeye recruiting target (former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy) lost a starter to the transfer portal (former OSU QB Kyle McCord) and replaced him with another outsider (current starter Will Howard), all while Ewers helped Texas rise to prominence again. For those of us with wandering eyes — I’ll admit I’m part of the problem — it’s hard to witness those events and not wonder:
What if he stayed?
Sure, Ewers and McCord were statistical twins. And actually, Howard outplayed the Texas quarterback this season, not to mention on Friday night. But when Ewers made the College Football Playoff last season (and Ohio State didn’t), then beat Michigan this season (which Ohio State couldn’t), c’mon. Can you blame us?
Remember: This was the top-ranked passer in his recruiting class, one of few prospects to ever receive a perfect recruiting rating. Pair that talent with Marvin Harrison Jr. last season or Jeremiah Smith this year. At worst, you’d have an extra Michigan win. Right?
Who cares now. It doesn’t matter anymore. This conversation, like Ewers’ college career, ended with Sawyer’s sack and touchdown return.
Like McCord, Ewers told ESPN he plans to declare for the NFL Draft after the season. Now that McCarthy plays for the Vikings, he can’t haunt the Buckeyes anymore, either. And Howard can validate his legacy with a win against Notre Dame in 10 days.
Beginning next season, the Buckeyes can finally reset their slate at the quarterback position.
At least until former five-star OSU commit Air Noland finds his stride at South Carolina, sparking another Buckeye detective board setup. Noland spent one season in Columbus and never took a snap in scarlet and grey. But if OSU’s next starter struggles to win big, and Noland leads the Gamecocks to a big stage, he’ll be talking Buckeyes again.
Specifically: How much Noland learned from the one season he spent sitting the bench at Ohio State. Plus why he left. What could’ve been.
