The Weekender: Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning Duel in Austin, Shaka Smart's Revenge, and the End of an Era at Syracuse

By 11W Staff on March 12, 2023 at 2:35 pm
Arch Manning
Aaron E. Martinez – USA TODAY Sports
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Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what's next.

Quinn Ewers vs. Arch Manning Has Begun

One of the most anticipated quarterback competitions in the country is underway at Texas, with head coach Steve Sarkisian confirming on Monday that redshirt sophomore Quinn Ewers and true freshman Arch Manning will battle for the starting job.

Ewers – the former No. 1 overall recruit in America, according to 247Sports – spent a year in Columbus before bolting back to his home state. He delivered mixed results in his first season in the spotlight last fall; the Longhorns went 6-4 in Ewers' starts with the Southlake native throwing 15 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.

The top prospect in the nation in his own class, Manning shattered records set by his famous uncles during an impressive high school career in New Orleans. Though having NFL bloodlines brings clear advantages, Manning is not just coasting off the reputation of his relatives. He possesses plenty of arm talent, and has shown the ability to both win from the pocket and make accurate off-schedule throws down the field.

The only individual who may have more riding on the competition than the two quarterbacks is the man making the final decision. Sarkisian is just 13-12 at Texas since taking over in 2021, and another disappointing season could put his job in danger. Predecessors Charlie Strong and Tom Herman lasted just three and four seasons in Austin, respectively, and Sarkisian may find himself following them to the exit if he picks the wrong signal-caller.

The Resurgence of Shaka Smart

While Sarkisian fights to remain as head football coach of the Longhorns, the former leader of the school's basketball program is thriving elsewhere. Two years after leaving Texas for Marquette, Shaka Smart has the red-hot Golden Eagles ranked No. 6 in the country ahead of the bracket reveal on Sunday evening.

Smart, of course, is best-known for taking 11th-seeded VCU from the First Four to the Final Four in 2011. In fact, some argue that the Cinderella run was so incredible that it continues to paint over and conceal the expansive list of his subsequent shortcomings. These claims aren't totally baseless; Smart has never reached the Sweet 16 again, and hasn't won a single game in the NCAA tournament since 2013, when he was still coaching the Rams.

But this campaign feels totally different. The 45-year-old has forced his detractors to eat crow all year long, and the Marquette faithful are justified in their belief that the Big East regular season and tournament champions can cut down the nets come March Madness.

The Golden Eagles don't run the vaunted "Havoc" zone press that helped put their head coach on the map. But Smart and Marquette are punishing opposing teams anyway, and college basketball is more fun when the energetic Wisconsin native has a dangerous squad.

Jim Boeheim's Strange Goodbye

After 47 seasons at the school, it was announced on Wednesday that Jim Boeheim is no longer the head coach at Syracuse. Some billed the move as a retirement, but it sounds more like the 78-year-old was pushed out the back door.

Boeheim's college basketball legacy is a complicated one. Many know him as a national champion, a defensive innovator and a beloved mentor.

But others will focus on his incessant complaining, his snippy attitude during press conferences and his involvement in a horrible off-court tragedy.

Love him or hate him, Boeheim's work to turn the Orange into a national power is undeniably impressive. Before he was hired, Syracuse had participated in just six of the first 37 iterations of the NCAA tournament. The program tallied 35 trips to the Big Dance under Boeheim, making five runs to the Final Four and winning it all in 2003.

The coaching change comes on the heels of another disappointing season for the Orange, whose hopes of stealing a March Madness bid ended in heartbreaking fashion in the second round of the ACC tournament. Boeheim will shift to a different role within the university, while new head coach Adrian Autry is tasked with leading Syracuse into a new era.

ICYMI

Four Ohio State Draft Prospects Who Could Keep The New Orleans Saints' Buckeye Pipeline Going

No NFL team drafts more Ohio State players than the New Orleans Saints. Here are the four Buckeye prospects that are most likely to be heading down to the Big Easy.

The Big Reckoning

As draft experts fawn over players who test well at the NFL Combine, they can sometimes lose sight of the most important part of the evaluation. Watching them actually play football.

It Is Finally Time To Advocate For Weird Uniform Numbers

Quarterback Devin Brown will be wearing No. 33 for Ohio State this season in honor of Sammy Baugh. Maybe the future of football should be one where that doesn't sound so crazy.

What's Next

  • Baseball: at Cal State Bakersfield, 3 p.m. Sunday (ESPN+)
  • Women's Tennis: at UCLA, 3 p.m. Sunday (Pac-12 Plus)
  • Men's Lacrosse: vs. Detroit Mercy, 7 p.m. Tuesday (BTN+)
  • Men’s Tennis: vs. UCF, 5 p.m. Wednesday
  • Women's Swim and Dive: NCAA Championships, Wednesday-Saturday (ESPN+)
  • Wrestling: NCAA Championships, Thursday-Saturday (ESPN/ESPNU)
  • Women’s Hockey: Frozen Four semifinal vs. Northeastern, 3:30 p.m. Friday (ESPN+)
  • Women’s Basketball: First-round NCAA Tournament game vs. TBD, Friday or Saturday
  • Football: Spring Game, 12 p.m. Saturday, April 15 (BTN)
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Ohio State Players Happy with Playing Noon Games: “We Like to Wake Up and Go Straight to the Field and Play”

Carnell Tate during Ohio State’s noon game vs. Nebraska

THE SITUATIONAL: Things We Cannot Say

Ohio State Buckeyes safety Lathan Ransom (8) celebrates with cornerback Jordan Hancock (7) after Ransom intercepted a pass in the second half at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio.
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