Read the full transcript from Quarterback Quinn Ewers' Postgame press conference on December 21, 2025.
Q: How would you describe your emotions last night and today before the game?
"I was calm and I was ready for the opportunity at hand. Felt like I had a great grasp of the game plan and I felt like I had the confidence of the guys around me. I was just fired up to get back out there on the field."
Q: How did you feel once the game started? First half you seemed pretty comfortable, poised, and just why did it kind of unravel for the team as a whole the second half?
"To your point, I think we came out and played well in the first half. We kind of got into a good flow there for a little while. Then coming out the second half I thought we came out well and then we had that big play get called back and then we had the turnover. It's hard to win ball games whenever you have three turnovers. I wish I had a couple of those throws back, but I think it's a good learning moment and experience for all those guys in the locker room, myself included. Not the result that we wanted. It's unfortunate."
Q: What was QB Tua Tagovailoa like out there on the sideline for you?
"He was good. Super encouraging to me and all the guys. Again, he's in a tough position in that spot. Like I've said earlier this week, I've been there and I know how he feels. I thought he did a really good job of helping me out on the sideline and continuing to talk to those guys and continuing to encourage those guys."
Q: What was his job on there with the board?
"It's pretty much what I've been doing all year. He'll just write the number of the wristband in case I don't hear it from Mike."
Q: As a man, how difficult is it putting in a week of preparation in and not getting the result that you ultimately want?
"It's tough. Coming out here, like you said, after a good week's work and an NFL preparation week, for it to go the way that it did, it's tough, especially when you see the amount of work that these guys put in week in and week out, coaches included. It's tough to come out here and lose the way we did for sure. But you got to find the good sometimes in all that and again, like I said earlier, there's a lot of learning to do, so continue on. Life continues."
Q: How comfortable did you feel throwing to guys – I mean, obviously your chemistry with WR Theo Wease Jr. has been there since preseason – how did it feel throwing to guys like TE Darren Waller, WR Jaylen Waddle and TE Greg Dulcich?
"It felt good to be out there. It's always nice to be back out there on the field. It's been a little while, but I thought our rapport was pretty good. I thought we did a pretty good job during the week getting extra throws after practice, getting the timing down with these guys but felt good."
Q: First full game as a starter since college. The mechanics of getting the play call, the speed of the game, everything for 60 minutes. Did it feel fast to you or did you feel like you settled in pretty quickly?
"It didn't feel fast to me. I thought during the week I thought we did a good job of keeping our eyes on the play clock and not getting in the rhythm of practice. Like, 'Hey, it's just practice. We're going to continue on to just go through the motions' or whatnot. But we had a play clock on me during the week, which I think helped a lot. It felt good to be out there. Didn't feel fast."
Q: Are there one or two things that you learned today or this week that will help you next week?
"Yeah, totally. I think that in football adversity is going to strike, and it did tonight a few times. I thought we learned kind of who we are when adversity strikes and I thought we did a good job of putting series together when we went down there to score to make it 21 points. So just staying in the game. I feel like the college game is obviously very different than the NFL game. You don't get as many opportunities in drives, so it's really important to make those count."
Q: The 97-yard drive give you some confidence?
"Totally. Again, it's always nice for me whenever the guys around you are doing their jobs. When we put drives together like that I think it's very important for the offense's confidence as well."
Q: Coach McDaniel said that he has it in mind to start you next week. What do you think of that?
"Man, I'm ready for the opportunity, ready to come back out here and I think we're all going to have a bad taste in our mouth from tonight, so hopefully we come out there with a better result next week. I just love challenges, so I'm going continue to strive forward, continue to put the work in, continue to grind, continue to build relationships with these guys. It's football at the end of the day. We've played it our entire lives. Now we just do it on a little bit bigger stage so just try not to make it bigger than it is and continue to grow as a quarterback and as a person."
Q: I know you and Theo had a good connection during training camp. Did it help having him active today? And if so, how?
"Yeah, totally. I felt like I wasn't out there alone if that makes sense. But man, I was super fired up that Theo was going to get his opportunity this week. He did a great job in practice with the plays that he had up. He's a fellow Dallas guy, so little connection there. It always helps for sure when you're not in it alone."
Q: Didn't take a sack today which I thought that was pretty impressive. What was working from that standpoint?
"Yeah, I went into it – I mean, there is a stat out there, I'm not sure what it is, but your chances of scoring a touchdown after a sack significantly drop. I thought it was important, especially in the first start, for me to go through the progressions, but obviously the speed of the game is a little bit faster and get the ball out and throw it away if necessary."
Q: How different was the playbook for you in this start than what Tua normally has?
"I thought it was pretty similar to be honest with you. Like I've hit on in earlier meetings of ours, it's our job whether we're the two or three during the year is to be ready for whenever your opportunity is, but I'm glad that they had the faith in me and the trust in me to continue on that game plan."
Q: I'm sure you learned a lot of things that you'll think about. Anything in particular jump out to you in minutes right after the game?
"To be honest with you, I thought that we played well as an offense. It's one of those games where you thought you did a good job, but it just doesn't translate over to the scoreboard. Like I said, the turnovers are going to do that to you, but man, it's just what an opportunity to get out there on the field with those guys that we're just going to build on."
Q: How is Waller as a target?
"Oh, he's great. He's great. Big body. I feel like if I just put it over there in his vicinity that he's going to end up coming down with it. It's always nice to have a guy like that on third down and in the red zone."
Q: How many people did you have show up, travel to watch your first start?
"Quite a few I believe. I just gave tickets to my parents and my girlfriend and I let them handle all the rest themselves. I know there's quite a few of them though."
