Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s night was interrupted at the Alamo Bowl. Now the question is whether your university career is over, too.
The senior did not prepare for the second half of Tuesday’s 55-23 loss to Colorado due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the first half. Ehlinger was seen in normal clothes and a sling after the break. Although Ehlinger took some bags, he had a solid first half with 160 passing yards and a touchdown.
Attention now turns to Ehlinger’s future. Due to the NCAA’s decision to give autumn sports athletes an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19, it is possible that Ehlinger could return to Texas in 2021. Although Ehlinger participated in the ceremonies the day before the game before the game. Iowa in November, he never explicitly stated that he is for sure moving to the NFL after this season. There is a suggestion of unfinished business. Texas fell short of expectations of winning the Big 12 and losing to Oklahoma has always hurt. Ehlinger is also the program’s second largest career passer, with 11,436 yards and 94 touchdowns. If he returns for another season, he will certainly break Colt McCoy’s school passing and touchdown records.
If that were for Ehlinger, it would be a difficult way out. He is the best defender the program has had in a decade and his history as a lifelong Horns fan growing up in the school yard is well documented. Still, it would be surprising if he came back for another year. He is not considered a high draft choice, but even though this is a loaded quarterback class, he is unlikely to significantly improve his draft stock with another year in college. And based on how the second-year red shirt Casey Thompson threw the soccer ball in the second half … well … maybe it’s time to move on. Thompson played possessed, getting 8 out of 10 passes for 170 yards and four touchdowns, drawing an Alamo Bowl record for the most points.
He was not alone as the star of the game. Running freshman Bijan Robinson had 183 yards in just 10 loads and racked up three touchdowns in total. Robinson blossomed late in part because Texas insisted that he be part of a running back rotation for most of the year. To be fair, Roschon Johnson won his shipments and scored one of best racing touchdowns you’ll see this season against buffalo. But it’s been clear for weeks that Robinson is that guy and in his last two games he has made six touchdowns in 24 strokes at 15 yards per touch. Its combination of strength and balance in the lower body makes it difficult to topple.
Robinson was not the only freshman to attract attention. Striker Alfred Collins had a ridiculous interception with a hand that showed tremendous athleticism:
Texas set school bowling records for points (55) and yards (638) while playing mostly with young players and reserves. I’m not here to convince you that Texas is “back” in 2021 – Colorado has basically lost half its team – but while Ehlinger was the face of the program, the future also looks terribly fun.