Arch Manning waited patiently for his turn to be the full-time signal caller at the University of Texas. Rated a five-star recruit out of high school, Manning served as backup to NFL-bound quarterback Quinn Ewers. In an era where it is popular for college players to seek greener pastures elsewhere by way of the transfer portal, Manning has proven his commitment to the Longhorns by staying to develop his skills.
“It was tough,” Manning told the local Spectrum News network. “I mean, it’s tough in this age. But I hope it pays off. Like I said, there’s nowhere else I want to be. I want to be at Texas. I’ve got friends here. Love this place. So I want to be the quarterback at the University of Texas. Sometimes, it’s worth the wait.”
Arch Manning Ready to Make the Most of Opportunity as Starter
What Will the New Offense Look Like Under Manning
Manning put to bed the notion that he is simply a pure pocket passer in a victory over the University of Texas at San Antonio on Sept. 21. He burst around the right edge of the defense on a zone-read keeper, made a UTSA defender miss with an athletic juke move, and took off for a 67-yard touchdown where he was clocked at 20.7 miles per hour.
ARCH MANNING TAKES IT 67 YARDS TO THE HOUSE WITH HIS LEGS
It’s the longest rush by a Texas QB since Vince Young in 2005. pic.twitter.com/AjU9uSli2c
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 15, 2024
“I think I’m always going to have to use my legs when I can,” Manning told 247Sports. “My grandfather tells me all the time, just get down or get out of bounds. Let’s play for a while.”
Standing 6-4, 225 pounds, Manning will have no issue taking on defenders to gain extra yardage when needed at the collegiate level. He also possesses excellent arm talent and has the ability to make every throw outside and within the pocket.
Over the last three years, head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns have built an offense that caters to Ewers’ strengths. With Manning now at the helm, Sarkisian can expand his playbook by utilizing a true dual-threat quarterback.
Sark’s Take
“[Manning] gives us a little bit more versatility,” Sarkisian said in an interview with FanDuel media. “Everybody’s in the zone-read world right now. We always try to adapt to our players. I’m watching the NFL, the NFL is evolving right now, too. You see what Jayden Daniels did. You saw what Jalen Hurts did, obviously winning the Super Bowl.”
“People are incorporating the quarterback more and more now, but still keeping some of the traditional NFL style offense with it. We’re forever evolving, but he does give us a lot of versatility to what we do offensively.”
Manning should thrive in RPO (Run-Pass-Option) and play-action scenarios, as defenses will have to account for both his ability to improvise from the quarterback position and the elite offensive playmakers Texas has at its disposal.
Offensive Weapons for Manning
The Longhorns are looking to replace high-level NFL draft prospects Matthew Golden, Gunnar Helm, and Jaydon Blue. However, Manning is still surrounded by athletes who are ready to shine in their expanded roles. The first name that comes to mind is wide receiver Ryan Wingo—a five-star prospect coming out of high school. Wingo is entering his true sophomore season and will be a heavily featured player in the offense. Manning and Wingo gave a glimpse of what’s to come when they connected on 75 and 36-yard passes against UTSA last season. Texas is also welcoming Kaliq Lockett, Jaime Ffrench, and Michael Terry III to their wide receiver room—a trio of highly touted freshmen. The Longhorns will roll out a competitive and young wideout group that will put plenty of pressure on opposing defenses.
Running back Quintrevion Wisner is returning to Texas after rushing for 1064 yards and five touchdowns. Wisner will be the bell cow of a unit that features CJ Baxter, Jerrick Gibson, and Christian Clark. With a deep running back room, Texas can take some of the pressure off Manning by deploying a physical and imposing run game. As the new starting quarterback, Manning will guide an offense that has the necessary playmakers to be successful.
“Arch always had that leader mindset—just knowing how great of a player, athlete, and person he is,” told the media covering Longhorns Spring camp. “His leadership role will definitely step up a bunch this year, but he knows that and he’s taking full effect of it.”
Season Predictions
Manning will prove to the nation that he is the real deal and worthy of the hype he has received during his collegiate career. We project he will throw for 3,500 yards and 35 touchdowns while rushing for 450 yards and seven touchdowns. With Manning as the starter, the Longhorns’ championship window is wide open—and he could very well lead them back to the College Football Playoff for a run at their first national title since 2005.
Main Image: Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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