Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers likes the first impressions of his new receivers | Golden

If Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is going to be better than he was in 2023, then he best get real acquainted with some mostly unfamiliar pass catchers in 2024.

More: Crisp Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers gave NFL scouts something to ponder for 2025 | Golden

He bid a fond farewell to Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, Jordan Whittington and Ja’Tavion Sanders at UT's pro day a couple of weeks ago, and he will spend the next few weeks and eventually a long summer finding a similar groove with some new faces.

To that end, reporters asked about a few names we hope will become household this fall. A couple of transfers — Houston’s Matthew Golden and Alabama’s Isaiah Bond — were the first to come to mind.

“I think Isaiah comes from a similar offense, so it's kind of an easy transition for him,” Ewers said. “Obviously he's a very explosive, explosive player, so when he gets the ball you know that will happen with it.”

And what of Golden?

“It’s the same with Golden,” Ewers said. “He's awesome in the return game. He runs smooth routes and has really soft hands, so I'm excited. I’m excited for both those guys.”

More: Add Rori Harmon to a top signing class and Texas will be Final Four-bound in 2025 | Golden

Sophomore Deandre Moore Jr. appeared in 10 games, but the reps were hard to come by given the vast experience of the guys in front of him. This season will provide an opportunity, especially since he will be coming off his second training camp with Ewers.

“I think he's a lot more comfortable inside the offense,” Ewers said. “Obviously it’s his second year in the offense, which makes things a whole lot easier for him. It's cool to just be able to see how he's matured over the past year. I think he's going to be real good for the offense and good for me too because we don't have a whole lot of guys who are in Year 2.  Being in Year 2 helps me out.”

Ewers also mentioned that speedy Johntay Cook should be that deep threat this team sorely needs on the outside and touted tight end Gunnar Helm, who is still listed at the same 6 feet 5 and 250 pounds from last season’s roster but is looking noticeably slimmer.

Steve Sarkisian remains a run-first coach, but no one is disputing this is Ewers’ team, and that ultimately means as his arm goes, so will the Longhorns.

Women's college basketball soars on star power

Women are on the rise: After Caitlin Clark put on a scintillating 41-point performance to end LSU’s title reign, social media and water coolers couldn’t get enough of her. LSU's Kim Mulkey, who has coached a great player or two in her storied career, pulled the Iowa star close and whispered, “I’m glad you're leaving. You’re something else.”

I’m sure the same sentiment is being shared by every college coach who has had to deal with the greatest scorer in the history of the sport and the scariest long-range shooter since Pete Maravich.

More: Alfred, Longhorn friends on track for Olympic gold | Bohls

Clark’s departure to the WNBA, where she will be the sure-fire No. 1 overall pick, will be felt — the game drew 12.3 million viewers — more than the 2023 World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks, which drew an average of 9.1 million.

Pardon me while I fan-boy out a bit, but women’s basketball has arrived and has taken center stage for the college game. Sure, Clark, LSU’s Angel Reese and South Carolina’s Kamila Cardoso won’t be back next season, but look at the star power that we’ll enjoy in 2025.

More: As it searches for replacements on the defensive line, Texas also breaks in a new coach

USC’s Juju Watkins, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and Texas’ Madison Booker are all freshman guards who made All-America teams. UConn’s Paige Bueckers will be the odds-on favorite to win national player of the year. And let’s not forget Texas All-America point guard Rori Harmon, who will back from that ACL tear.

I really don’t expect to see a lot of drop-off because the attendance has been surging. Nearly 300,000 attended the NCAA Women's Tournament first- and second-round games, an increase of more than 60,000 from last year. That came after nearly 2 million tuned in for ESPN’s Selection Sunday show.

Great teams will draw money, but great players make it even more intriguing, and that’s what we’re witnessing right now. It’s rising, and I’m here for it.

Here come Stefon Diggs, H-Town

The newest Texan: The Houston Texans were arguably the best-feel good story in the 2023 NFL playoffs, and franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud had one of the best rookie seasons in league history with 4,108 yards,  23 touchdowns and only five interceptions.

More: Texas basketball recruit Tre Johnson lights up scoreboard at McDonald's All-American Game

The addition of Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs to a receiving room that already houses nice playmakers Nico Collins and Tank Dell just made the Texans a top-three passing attack. The biggest question facing general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans is whether they can keep Diggs happy.

Despite being among the league's leaders in targets, catches and touchdown receptions during his four seasons in Buffalo, Diggs sulked at times and was a distraction, contrary to what his teammates said publicly. One couldn’t help but wonder if that huge dropped pass in the divisional round playoff loss to Kansas City was the last we would see of him in Buffalo.

It was.

That said, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs’ big brother is only 30 years old and is still an elite playmaker. The Texans aren’t scaring anybody in the running game, but if they could upgrade that position and add some pieces in the secondary, they are the sexy pick to threaten Kansas City’s stranglehold on the AFC.

They’re not coming to Austin

Speaking of Kansas City ... For those who believe there’s a chance the Chiefs and/or the Kansas City Royals are coming to Austin after voters there shot down a sales tax proposal that would help fund a $2 billion ballpark downtown and aid in huge renovations to 52-year old Arrowhead Stadium, save your breath.

Those ownership groups aren’t interested in going anywhere. They’re just too cheap to want to foot the bill for their multibillion-dollar sports teams. Where's the incentive for citizens to pay their hard-earned money to a billionaire who isn't about to share some of that profit once those palaces start stacking even more greenbacks?

While there are other cities that could support pro franchises — and Austin is one — those teams are too ingrained in the local culture, particularly the Chiefs, who have one of most loyal football fan bases in the game.

Not loyal enough to pay an extra sales tax to eventually help pad Clark Hunt's pockets, but loyal nonetheless.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers getting to know new receivers