Some Texas fans feel that TCU coach Gary Patterson was slighting Sam Ehlinger with a comment made about the Longhorns quarterback on Tuesday.
Texas and TCU will face off on Saturday, with the Horned Frogs entering the series having won four in a row between them. Texas has won two in a row since dropping their opener against Maryland. Ehlinger has thrown for two touchdowns in each game, and he’s also rushed for a score in each of the last two games.
Talking about Ehlinger, Patterson called the quarterback Texas’ X-factor because he’s like a running back playing quarterback.
Gary Patterson describes Texas QB Sam Ehlinger as the "X-factor in their offense." Says he's a running back playing quarterback.
— Chuck Carlton (@ChuckCarltonDMN) September 18, 2018
TCU coach Gary Patterson on Texas QB Sam Ehlinger: "He will beat you with his feet. He’s a running back playing quarterback, he beats you with his feet. … He’s the X-factor in their offense.”
— Drew Davison (@drewdavison) September 18, 2018
Texas has often let Ehlinger run the ball on keepers and RPOs. He even was the team’s leading rusher last year, though that had a lot to do with the team’s inability to find a consistent rushing option (five players had over 250 yards rushing).
The reality is that Ehlinger runs a lot and can run the ball, as Patterson noted. That’s probably not shade from the coach but rather an accurate observation. Of course, most believe a quarterback should be known for his passing first and any other skills second, which is why some Texas fans did not like the comment.
