AUSTIN — After Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers connected with wide receiver Xavier Worthy for a 46-yard gain against the Alabama Crimson Tide — just before Ewers was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury — the talented passer struggled to hit deep shots for the remainder of the 2022 season.
The inability to top the top off of defenses severely limited an offense that ended the regular season unbalanced and heavily dependent on the run game, leading Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian to prioritize downfield passing in the month between the Alamo Bowl and Saturday’s season opener.