As of Wednesday, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian still hasn’t decided on a starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against Louisiana-Monroe.

Sarkisian said Monday that starting quarterback Quinn Ewers would be questionable with a strained abdominal injury. The top-ranked Longhorns have full confidence in backup Arch Manning, who accounted for five touchdowns in last week’s blowout win over UTSA.

On the SEC coaches teleconference, Sarkisian said he had not yet named a starter to face the Warhawks (2-0). Asked to give an injury report, Sarkisian said, “Nothing today.”

To be clear, there is no quarterback controversy in Austin, at least not in the traditional sense. Ewers is the team’s clear-cut No. 1 starter and was the Heisman Trophy frontrunner before getting hurt last Saturday night. Manning the No. 2.

Texas HC Steve Sarkisian goes in depth breaking down Arch Manning’s impressive breakout performance for Longhorns

Starting QB Quinn Ewers is now “day to day” this week, and Arch Manning likely to get more practice time with first-team offense

Still, the noise and hysteria around Manning’s mere presence is something unrivaled in recent Texas history.

“I honestly have no idea. I don't pay any attention to it. We focus on what we do,” Sarkisian said in deadpan fashion. “To get motivated by external factors or to ride the emotional roller coaster of we’re the best team ever, he’s the best player ever or the worst ever, because they’re generally very few times where you’re somewhere in between.”

Sarkisian also said Monday that Manning’s practice time with the first-team offense would be based on Ewers’ availability as the week progressed.

Asked to evaluate Manning’s work, Sarkisian said, “He’s done a really good job with all the reps that he's gotten. Arch has got a really good understanding of what we’re trying to do. Even though we’re putting in a new game plan, I think he understands the premise of the plays we have in our system. Yes, we’re dressing them up certain ways and different things, but I think he has a good, firm understanding of the premise of those plays.

“So when we gets in, he can operate them to a pretty high, high level.”

The Longhorns (3-0) are 44.5-point favorites this week, and there isn’t much incentive to push Ewers onto the field with an injury that requires rest, more than anything else. If Manning starts, it would be a first for the redshirt freshman.