Arch Manning to start vs. ULM, but Texas is still Ewers’ team

We've been through this before, but with Quinn Ewers injured and Arch Manning set for his first career start , we're going to have to review it again.

There is no quarterback controversy at the University of Texas.

None.

Ewers suffered a strained oblique against UTSA . He's not all the way back, so Manning will start Saturday versus Louisiana-Monroe. He will play however he's going to play, and the belief at this juncture is that there is a real possibility of Manning starting the Sept. 28 SEC opener against Mississippi State.

Whatever happens during Manning's maiden voyage to the top of the QB depth chart, here's the point that really needs to be drilled home as anticipation for his first start builds.

This team belongs to Ewers.

Whenever Ewers is ready, he is starting, Manning will return to his backup role, and a Texas season that already has the look of one that could stretch into January , will get back to regularly scheduled programming.

If you choose not to believe this, and would rather listen to a select few talking heads, and the social media hot takes, and the YouTube videos trying to now paint this as Ewers vs. Manning, the former trying desperately to keep his job, Steve Sarkisian did a good job of addressing what is happening inside his program at the mostimportant position on the field.

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"One thing I tried to impress upon Quinn, all the goals he had, and that we've had for him coming into this season, are all still there for him," Sarkisian said during his normal Thursday Zoom call with local media. "I think we have a national championship-caliber team, and he's the quarterback of that team, and I think we still have that in front of us to go do that. I think with some of the games that we have coming up down the road, this guy's going to be in New York for the Heisman, and whether he wins it or not, but he has the ability to do that, and I think he has the ability to be a top-five NFL Draft pick.

"All the things that I think he's capable of are still out there for him, and this Saturday, him not playing in this game is not going to impact those three things that I know are goals that we've set for him, and that he's working towards."

It's not time for a full-blown conversation about Ewers as it relates to the Heisman Trophy . No, rational people shouldn't be diving into that for at least another month, by which time Texas will have played Oklahoma and Georgia.

Actually, let's stick with that for a moment.

If Sarkisian's belief that he has a national championship-caliber team is accurate, Texas needs, at minimum, a split against the Sooners and Bulldogs . It's now a 12-team College Football Playoff, so the ability to take on water and still be in the mix is greater, but losing both would be a problem, because the margin for error is gone at two losses. Ewers can win both of those games. We have no idea if Manning can. In the middle of a potential title run, you go with what you know, not with what you think, no matter how well Manning plays this week, and potentially next week.

As for the Heisman, Ewers isn't losing it by sitting against ULM and Mississippi State, but if the Heisman is believed to be a viable goal, he certainly can't win it by sitting for the two highest-profile regular-season games on the schedule.

If and when he is physically able, it's Ewers' show. Being physically able is one thing, but making sure the former Southlake Carroll star has his emotions in order has been another point of emphasis this week.

Remember, this is the third straight season Ewers will miss games due to injury.

"Any time you initially come out of a ballgame, there's a level of frustration, but I think as the week has gone on, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, he's in really good spirits," Sarkisian said. "I think his psyche has come back in a really positive frame. Naturally, you get a little down when you don't get to do what you love to do, and he loves to play football, but I think his understanding of, he's getting healthy, and he's getting healthy quickly, and that all the goals and things are still out there in front of him to go achieve this season has really kind of inspired him to get back and to feel good, and when his number's called, be ready to play."

Manning is going to start, and maybe he looks All-World again to the naked eye as he did against UTSA, but in these moments of eagerness and excitement for Texas fans, it's worth remembering whose team this really is.