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Deep ties run through OSU-UT Cotton Bowl By Sam Becker Lantern Reporter
program had been in a state of tedium. The innate prospect of going to Texas was no longer convincing enough, even lthough it’s not the usual Buckeye for kids who grew up wearing Longrivalry, the Ohio State-Texas Cot- horn hats. One such kid was Quinn ton Bowl is four years in the making. Ewers. 7KHQ $ODEDPD R̆HQVLYH FRRUGLQDEwers was a once-in-a-generation tor Steve Sarkisian accepted the Tex- recruit. The early 2000s had Vince as head coach position Jan. 2, 2021, Young. The 2010s had Trevor Lawbut remained with the Crimson Tide rence. Ewers was seen as the quarterfor nine more days to coordinate the back prospect of the 2020s. $ODEDPD R̆HQVH WKDW GHPROLVKHG WKH Though he initially committed to Buckeyes in the National Champion- 7H[DV LQ (ZHUV ÀLSSHG WR 2KLR ship Jan 11. State a few months later. Texas missed Following this curtain call, Sarki- on him, in its own backyard, because VLDQ ZDV R̆ WR $XVWLQ DQG WDVNHG ZLWK of how the program was publicly perturning around a Texas program that ceived. This changed when Sarkisian had fallen from grace. Though the arrived. /RQJKRUQV ZHQW LQ KLV ¿UVW \HDU $IWHU (ZHUV FRPSOHWHG KLV ¿UVW VHDSarkisian’s arrival undoubtedly gave son at Ohio State, he could read the tea the program some juice. leaves. Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day This reinvigoration did not care about recruiting rankings, was especially imEwers’ multimillion-dollar NIL deals portant for recruitor his internet fame. At Ohio State, ing, which is heavEwers was nothing more than the LO\ LQÀXHQFHG E\ most famous fourth-string quartermomentum within back in the country. programs. Day, who is largely a Prior to quarterbacks coach with Sarkisian, NFL experience, did not t h e seem swayed by the fact Texas that Ewers was so highly touted. And if Ewers was not going to be contributing anytime soon, all the things attached to his fame arguably did CARLY DAMON | ASST. PHOTO EDITOR more harm than good. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day calls for the Day seemed satisWKHQ 1R %XFNH\HV WR MRLQ D KXGGOH SULRU WR WKHLU ¿HG ZLWK VWDUWLQJ
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TXDUWHUEDFN & - 6WURXG¶V ¿UVW VHDVRQ ers pioneered a turnaround for Texas, DQG .\OH 0F&RUG ZDV DQRWKHU ¿YH VWDU but what about Ohio State? In the era recruit who had been patiently waiting of these superstar quarterbacks, the in the wings before Ewers even arrived. Buckeyes have seemingly found their Day certainly did not show a player of succession plan in a three-star recruit, Ewers’ talent the door, but he did not redshirt senior from Downingtown, H[DFWO\ ¿JKW IRU KLP WR VWD\ HLWKHU Pennsylvania. $IWHU EDUHO\ WRXFKLQJ WKH ¿HOG LQ Though Texas found its program Columbus, Ewers decided to return savior, Ohio State opted for a glue guy. home and become a Longhorn Dec. 12, And Will Howard is a great one. 2021. 'D\¶V ¿UVW VXFFHVVLRQ SODQ IRU “He was in a very unique situation, Stroud struck out. McCord, though for sure,” Day said in a Dec. 5, 2021, talented, was too inexperienced as a press conference. “We certainly wish starter to elevate the Buckeyes. With him nothing but the best of luck.” much of the roster’s foundation returnWhen Ewers transferred, the future ing for another year, Day recognized of both programs shifted. For Ohio that a superstar quarterback wasn’t State, the long-term outlook at quarter- needed and took a chance on Howard. back became uncertain, as Ewers had Though the journey has not been often been viewed as Stroud’s succesTIES continues on Page 7 sor. For Texas, it was a game-changing win, bringing the hometown star back to lead the program into a new era. Ewers turned the 5-7 Longhorns into perennial playR̆ FRQWHQGHUV The Longhorns were a play away from a National Championship appearance last year, and only the Buckeyes stand TOM FOX VIA TNS in their way this Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian whistles for his season. players to rotate during pregame warmups before So, EwD &)3 TXDUWHU¿QDO JDPH DJDLQVW $UL]RQD 6WDWH DW 0HUFHGHV %HQ] 6WDGLXP LQ $WODQWD RQ -DQ