Over the last two seasons, Texas' Quinn Ewers has become one of college football's top quarterbacks, as highlighted by the run that he led the Longhorns on last season that ended with their first College Football Playoff appearance.

Before that, Ewers started his career at a program Michigan fans know rather well: Ohio State. The Southlake, Texas native didn't last long in Columbus — nor did he play against the Wolverines, as he transferred out of the Buckeyes program shortly after his freshman season in 2021.

Now, he finally gets his shot playing in the Big House against No. 9 Michigan on Saturday, as No. 3 Texas travels up to Michigan Stadium for a top-10 nonconference opponent that headlines Week 2 of the college football season.

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Here's what you need to know on why Ewers decided to transfer from Ohio State, his career stats and more:

Why did Quinn Ewers transfer from Ohio State to Texas?

Ewers had previously been committed to Texas and former coach Tom Herman, but flipped his commitment to the Buckeyes in October 2020. He skipped his senior year of at Southlake Carroll to reclassify as part of Ohio State's 2021 recruiting class.

Upon reclassifying, he became the top player in the class.

However, the Texas native cited being homesick as a reason for transferring. After entering the transfer portal at Ohio State in early December 2021, he committed to play for Texas, to whom he had previously committed.

“I grew up always watching the Longhorns play, wanted to be in that burnt orange. There was a little obstacle in between, but I ended up here and I’m very thankful for all the opportunities God has given me. I’m just excited to be back in the home state,” Ewers said in 2022.

"At the end of the day, I just wanted to be closer to my family and friends and stuff like that.”

Moreover, Ewers was part of a congested quarterback room at Ohio State, which led to limited time opportunities for Ewers. When Ewers reclassified to the 2021 recruiting class, the Buckeyes' quarterback depth chart featured C.J. Stroud at starter, followed behind by Kyle McCord and Jack Miller.

247Sports had Ewers listed as a unanimous five-star recruit and the No. 2 player and No. 2 quarterback in the transfer portal in 2022 according to his 247Sports Composite rankings page. He entered the portal on Dec. 3, 2021 and committed to Texas nine days later on Dec. 12.

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Why did Quinn Ewers return to Texas in 2024?

Ewers considered entering his name into the 2024 NFL draft after last season ended with the loss to Washington in the CFP Sugar Bowl semifinal. However, the 6-foot-2 quarterback opted to delay his dream of playing in the NFL for another year at Texas.

He announced the decision to return to the Longhorns on Jan. 11.

"I guess the main thing for me was just getting more experience," Ewers told media, including the Austin American-Stateman, in March. "I had some people put together a pretty good chart on the more you play and the more experience you have, the better you end up playing and succeeding in the NFL. I just wanted to put myself in a better spot to be able to succeed at a high level once I hopefully get there."

He added: "Since I was a kid, I always wanted to play in the NFL and succeed at a high level in the NFL. To get to that point, I think it was just better for me to just stay another year and just enjoy it."

Quinn Ewers stats

Ewers entered the 2024 season coming off a strong sophomore season, one in which he led Texas to the playoff. His 3,479 passing yards are the fourth-most in a single season by a Longhorns quarterback. He also threw for 22 touchdowns.

In his freshman season with Texas, Ewers won Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year after he completed 172 of 296 passes for 2,177 yards and 15 touchdowns. Per his Texas profile page, Ewers' 2,177 yards in 2022 were the fifth-most for a Longhorns freshman quarterback.

He did not attempt a pass at Ohio State in 2021, as he handed the ball off on the two snaps he saw during a game vs. Michigan State. Here's a year-by-year breakdown of Ewers' career stats at both Texas:

• 2022: 172-of-296 passing (58.1%) for 2,177 yards and 15 touchdowns to six interceptions; one rushing touchdown

• 2023: 272-of-394 (69%) passing for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns to six interceptions; 59 carries for 75 rushing yards with five rushing touchdowns

• 2024: 20-of-27 (74%) passing for 260 yards with three touchdowns and one interception

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Quinn Ewers transfer: Why Texas QB left Ohio State after one season