Texas' starting quarterback Quinn Ewers was forced to sit out Saturday with a strained abdomen, paving the way for the first start in the career of uber recruit Arch Manning. Still, just because Ewers wasn't playing on the field didn't mean he wasn't involved.
Throughout the first half, Ewers was seen with an earpiece in, listening to the play calls during the game and encouraging Manning in huddles.
Then, when things began to plateau a bit in the second half, Ewers' jumped in to get his teammates fired back up:
The exhortations worked, with the defense -- starters Michael Taafe and Jahdae Barron were clearly identifiable in the huddle -- shutting out ULM the rest of the way while adding a safety of their own.
As for Ewers, he appeared much more nimble and moved far less gingerly than in the immediate aftermath of his injury against UTSA. It remains to be seen whether he'll heal enough to start against Mississippi State, but either way, we now know he will be thoroughly engaged throughout.