In the second quarter of the Longhorns’ Week 3 win over UTSA, Texas quarterback Quinn Evers experienced what coach Steve Sarkisian deemed a “stomach squeeze.” After completing a long pass to tight end Gunner Helm, Evers ran down the field badly and landed on the turf after a handoff. Evers spent about 15 minutes in the medical tent, then left the field and walked to the tunnel midway through the second quarter with a bandage over his head.
In his place, backup quarterback Arch Manning entered the game and threw a 19-yard touchdown in his first game. On Texas’ next drive, Manning ran for a 67-yard touchdown.
See: Manning shines in relief of Evers
Ewers completed 14-of-16 passes for 185 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in the first 18 minutes. Ewers returned to the Texas sideline in the second quarter, in street clothes, sporting a black hoodie.
“He’s got a bad stomach,” Sarkisian told ESPN at halftime.
No. 2 Texas has the next few weeks with Saturday’s game against UTSA, home contests against Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State and then a bye on Oct. 12 before playing Oklahoma and then Georgia. Evers missed each of his first two seasons as the full-time starting quarterback.
Evers is the Heisman frontrunner following Texas’ win at Michigan in Week 2.
During the 2022 season, Texas was 4-1 in games in which Evers did not start due to injury (including an upset home loss to Alabama in 2022, in which Evers left the game in the first quarter). Evers missed two games in 2023 with a sprained AC joint.
