Quinn Ewers injury update, QB still questionable but now practicing

For the second straight week, Texas Longhorns starting QB Quinn Ewers is questionable with a strained oblique. Ewers returned to practice this week after suffering a non-contact abdominal strain in Week 3 against UTSA.

At his weekly media availability, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said they are monitoring the Southlake junior closely.

“Quinn practice today. I would say if, again, if I had to put a report out, he’d be questionable for Saturday. But we’ll see how he goes throughout the week and monitor how he responds to tomorrow coming off of today’s practice.” — Steve Sarkisian

Sark says Ewers has to show improvement in order to play in Texas’ first ever SEC game against Mississippi State on Saturday.

“He’s got to do enough to show me he can play. Can he execute the game plan? I kind of need to see how he responds from today’s work, and then what it looks like on a Tuesday, then a Wednesday, which are pretty heavy days for him, and then how he rebounds on Thursday. It’s going to be kind of a work in progress. But today was a good start. I was actually impressed with where he was today, but that’s been his trajectory since the injury happened. I feel like he keeps getting incrementally better day by day.” — Steve Sarkisian

If Ewers can’t go against the Bulldogs, Arch Manning will get the second start of his career. Sark said he was impressed by how Manning turned things around after throwing an interception on Texas’ opening drive.

“I’ve seen a lot of young quarterbacks have a rough start, and then that rough start turns into a rough game. It was a little bit of a rough start for him, but I thought he rebounded and did some nice things for us.” — Steve Sarkisian

Sark took some responsibility for the Longhorns repeated deep shots. The coach said he put them in the game plan because he knows Manning loves to throw them. Manning attempted eight passes of 15 or more yards.

“Arch is a really good deep-ball thrower, and it gives…