Quarterback U? Ewers-Manning duo could be just the beginning for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian.

DALLAS Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian, if you havent noticed, is busy, surely too preoccupied amid his teams College Football Playoff run for a one-on-one phone interview.

Somehow, though, Sarkisian between team meetings and broader media obligations found a few minutes to talk, anyway, seemingly because hed been told The Dallas Morning News wanted to inquire about one of his favorite topics.

Quarterbacks.

Plural, in Texas case.

Specifically, how has Sarkisian and his staff, in four years, built a culture that has positioned Texas to become college footballs latest Quarterback U if it isnt already? The Longhorns (13-2) will come to AT&T Stadium for next Fridays Goodyear Cotton Bowl clash against Ohio State (12-2) armed with inarguably the best quarterback tandem of not just the four CFP semifinalists, but all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

Southlake Carroll product Quinn Ewers was the nations No.

1 Class of 2021 quarterback recruit.

His Longhorn backup Arch Manning was No.

1 in 2023.

How has Texas not only lured, but so far kept both during this volatile name, image and likeness and transfer-portal era? One of the things we do is be ourselves, Sarkisian said.

We believe in relationships.

We believe in connection with all of our players, but most notably the quarterback.

I think when youre authentic and real and honest and you start forging that relationship, it lessens that barrier between coach and player and allows a relationship to form.

It certainly helps that Sarkisian, 50, was a standout quarterback at BYU and has one of college footballs most innovative offensive minds.

The Sarkisian-Ewers relationship, in particular, was on vivid display during Texas CFP wins over Clemson and Arizona State and is an integral part of the 89th Cotton Bowls most notable subplot.

Ohio State, after all, is the school and coach from which Ewers transferred to Texas on Dec.

12, 2021, after one season of backing up C.J.

Stroud for the Buckeyes.

He decided he wanted to play [right away], Ohio State coach Ryan Day recalled Friday during a Cotton Bowl media conference call.

It was disappointing for us, but we certainly understood.

Ewers decision to transfer was, in a sense, a full-circle moment.

Before his junior season at Carroll, in the summer of 2020, he had committed to Texas, his lifelong favorite school, only to decommit and flip to Ohio State three months later as UTs Tom Herman Era soured.

At Ohio State, where he became the first college athlete to earn more than $1 million in NIL money, Ewers took only two snaps, both handoffs against Michigan State.

Bolting back to Texas wasnt without risk.

The Longhorns had just finished 5-7 in Sarkisians first season of succeeding Herman who from 2011-14 had been Urban Meyers offensive coordinator and quarterback guru at Ohio State.

Sarkisian and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach A.J.

Milwee were able to woo Ewers back to Austin, all the while recruiting Manning starting in Jan.

2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Day and Ohio State? Since Strouds 2022 departure to the NFLs Houston Texans, the Buckeyes have cycled through quarterbacks Kyle McCord, Devin Brown and this seasons 23-year-old starter, Will Howard, who played his first four college seasons at Kansas State.

Day, embattled entering this CFP run due to his 1-4 record against Michigan, almost certainly has wondered what might have been, recalling Friday how he first offered Ewers a scholarship when he was an eighth grader at Ohio States summer camp.

From afar Ive watched him and hes got a lot of talent, Day said.

Hes a really good player.

He comes from a great family and hes had a great career at Texas.

A lot of people here still have good relationships with him.

And think the world of him.

While reporters and Texas fans speculate whether 21-year-old Ewers will enter the NFL draft or the transfer portal for a reported $6 million NIL payday, all other FBS schools would love to have the Longhorns problem of having 19-year-old, eminently pedigreed Manning in the wings.

There are multiple reasons Texas is the only school that made last years four-team CFP playoff and this seasons 12-team version, but none bigger than the foundation thats been built at quarterback.

When Ewers suffered an oblique strain early in the second quarter of this seasons third game, against UTSA, Manning almost seamlessly stepped in to finish that win and lead blowout victories over Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State.

In the programs bigger picture, Texas has non-binding oral commitments from Class of 2025 No.

15-ranked quarterback KJ Lacey and 2026s No.

3 quarterback Dia Bell.

So, theoretically Texas foreseeable quarterback future appears bright, though Sarkisian told The News that rankings arent among the ingredients the program looks for in quarterbacks.

Sarkisian cited four intangibles above others.

One, is he a true competitor? I think so many teams when people go to evaluate quarterbacks, they look at height, arm strength, size, speed, Sarkisian said.

And one of the things we really dive into is Does he have that innate, true competitor inside of him? Sometimes you can see that watching the tape.

Sometimes you have to go watch him play in person.

Sometimes you watch him at practice.

Sometimes you go watch him play another sport: basketball, baseball.

Sometimes its just being around him and listening to him talk.

Ewers is not fiery in an outward sense, on or off the field.

Sarkisian, though, cites Ewers knack for rising in big moments, none more pressure-filled than the Peach Bowl, when Texas faced fourth-and-13 and a 31-24 first-overtime deficit against Arizona State.

Ewers, playing in his 35th career game and facing perhaps the final play of his college career, checked into max protection at the line of scrimmage, anticipated a seemingly covered Matthew Golden breaking open and threw a 28-yard touchdown strike.

Which brings us to the second quarterback intangible that Sarkisian values.

They have to have natural leadership skills, he said.

And when I say that I mean, Do they make the other guys around them believe? Thats something a quarterback has to have; it doesnt matter at what level.

Do they instill belief in the organization, in their teammates and coaches, in the staff, in the fan base, that when he takes the field were gonna be OK.

That then lends itself to the leadership aspect, that when they speak, when they act, people respond.

The third intangible? Resiliency, Sarkisian said.

Playing quarterback is not perfect.

You have ups and downs, but how you respond to adversity at quarterback, I think, is really critical.

For instance, when your team watches a 24-8 Peach Bowl lead crumble into an overtime deficit and you respond with touchdown passes on consecutive overtime plays.

I just try to be that calm within the storm for all the guys, Ewers said.

And I think my relationship with Jesus Christ has helped me in that specific way, of knowing that no matter whatever happens Hes going to be there for me; Hes going to love me.

Thats the reality of it.

Sarkisians fourth intangible? Do you throw a catchable ball? When you throw passes, are they complete, or are you a guy who has a lot of drops? In Sept.

2022, The News traveled to New Orleans to feature high-profile Longhorn commit Manning, who at the time was early in his senior season at Isidore Newman School, where his uncles Peyton and Eli starred at quarterback, as did Archs father Cooper at receiver.

Cooper Manning and Isidore Newman coach Nelson Stewart remarked about the organic way Sarkisian and Longhorns quarterback coach Milwee forged a connection with Arch.

Milwee, now 38, had been an offensive analyst at Alabama in 2019-20, coinciding with Sarkisians stint as Nick Sabans offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Stewart marveled that Milwee could watch a 10-second video clip of Arch and offer verbal notes about his footwork, body lean, route reads and release.

He understands how Arch learns, Stewart said.

Arch is very detailed.

So is A.J.

Theyre practically the same person; both humble.

Because of COVID-19, the first time Manning and Stewart spoke face-to-face with Sarkisian and Milwee was via Zoom call.

I turned on the Zoom and Im looking at A.J.

for the first time and he said, Hey, how are we doing? Stewart recalled.

And then Sark came on and you just saw him and Arch [relate] right away.

It was like, Bam.

Perhaps the natural rapport helps explain why Manning, in his words and from all appearances, has steadfastly maintained his commitment to the Longhorn program.

It remains to be seen whether Ewers-Manning will be reminiscent of the Vince Young-Colt McCoy succession, which resulted in the 2005 national championship and 2009 title game berth, but with Texas in its second straight CFP semifinal, the dream isnt hard to visualize.

Bigger picture, might Texas be able to sustain a longer Quarterback U legacy, like Purdue, Stanford, Miami and more recently Oklahoma and Alabama have done through the decades? Sarkisian already has a blueprint.

After all, he was part of BYUs 1970s-through-1990s Quarterback U heyday under coach LaVell Edwards and offensive coordinator Norm Chow.

When you think about all those great quarterbacks that have been at BYU all the way back to Virgil Carter and Gifford Nielson, to Mark Wilson, Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Robbie Bosco, Ty Detmer and beyond that they all had great competitive spirit, Sarkisian said.

Sarkisian, a transfer from El Camino Community College, guided the Cougars to finishes of 7-4 in 1995 and 14-1 in 1996, the latter marking the first time an FBS team reached 14 wins.

Sarkisian said Edwards had a way of instilling confidence in his quarterbacks during game weeks, and with his KISS approach Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Naturally, Sarkisian didnt mention his name among the BYU greats.

Those guys were all tremendous leaders, he said.

I dont know if any of them were the most talented physically.

I dont know if you went to a combine and said, Boy, hes the biggest; hes the tallest; hes the fastest; hes got the greatest arm.

But they threw catchable balls and they instilled belief in everybody in Provo, Utah.

I can tell you that.

Thats why they won a bunch of games.

As Sarkisian finished the brief phone conversation, voices could be heard in the background.

Time to go.

Time for another meeting.

Time to prepare for another CFP opponent, starting with quarterback planning.

In Texas case, plural.

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