How a high school legend redefined the Texas Longhorns' passing record
In short: Before entering the NFL, Sam Ehlinger was rewriting the history books at Westlake High School. Beyond merely breaking records, he overtook Super Bowl champions Nick Foles and Drew Brees to lead the school in total passing touchdowns and yards.
Sam Ehlinger's ascent began in Austin, Texas, where he played for coach Todd Dodge at Westlake High School. His dominance there earned him the MaxPreps National Junior of the Year title and a four-star recruit rating from Rivals.com. His high school success set the stage for a collegiate career at the University of Texas at Austin, where he faced intense competition for the starting quarterback role.
During his 2017 freshman season, Ehlinger navigated a crowded depth chart, often competing with Shane Buechele. After Buechele suffered a shoulder injury, Ehlinger stepped in to lead the Longhorns to a 56–0 victory against San Jose State. This performance made him only the tenth freshman in school history to start a game at quarterback. He later proved his versatility by becoming the first freshman in program history to record back-to-back games with over 100 rushing yards.
Ehlinger's collegiate tenure was marked by significant statistical milestones. During 2017, he achieved 380 passing yards versus Kansas State, a Texas freshman record and the tenth highest total for any school quarterback. By 2018, he had surpassed his high school coach, Todd Dodge, in career passing yardage for the Longhorns. His ability to produce high-volume stats led to him being named the fourth best quarterback in the Big 12 Conference by Athlon Sports in May 2018.
Despite his individual achievements, his time at Texas was characterized by unsettled competition and injury challenges. Whether managing an inner ear issue or navigating concussion protocols following a hard tackle against Oklahoma, Ehlinger remained a central figure in the Longhorns' offense. He eventually moved to the professional level, being selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Sam Ehlinger
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