Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is already thinking about benching junior quarterback Arch Manning. That bombshell news dropped Monday, and it’s a gut punch for a team that’s suddenly looking lost. After two straight losses, Sarkisian confirmed he’s preparing redshirt freshman KJ Lacy Jr. for more practice reps, just in case Manning struggles against Ole Miss this weekend. Manning is still expected to start, but the writing is on the wall.
What’s Going Wrong in Austin?
The Longhorns are in a rough spot, losing two straight games to opponents who were unranked: the Oklahoma Sooners and the Florida Gators. You just can’t be dropping games to unranked teams when you have a talent like Manning under center, even if he’s not playing like it right now. During that two-game skid, Manning’s numbers aren’t pretty: he threw for only 433 yards, had four touchdowns, tossed two interceptions, and lost a fumble. For the season overall, he’s completed 63% of his passes for 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. The offense just isn’t consistently clicking, and it’s putting a ton of pressure on Manning.
Sark’s Demand and Manning’s Promise
Sarkisian didn’t mince words on Monday. He told the press, “I think there’s no doubt about it, Arch can play better for us. He’s our starter. I need to see a better version of Arch Manning.” That’s a direct challenge to his starting QB. Manning, for his part, isn’t backing down. He told the media, “I told (Sark) I expect myself to play better. I haven’t put good film on tape for the last five weeks and I’m going to be better. I’m going to be better for my teammates. I’m going to be better for myself and I’m going to be better for my coaches.”
Manning also pointed to the offensive line as a “big problem” this season, acknowledging he’s getting heavily blitzed. He knows he has to adjust. “I’ve gotta do a better job of handling the pressures in the games,” he said. “Other teams are going to keep doing them. So I’ll be better at that moving forward.” Despite the struggles, Manning is ready to fire away. “I think we just starting letting it rip,” he declared. “Our backs are against the wall right now and there’s no place I’d rather be. Just let her rip. I’m gonna die on the hill of I’m letting it rip.”
The Longhorns host Ole Miss Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT at Darrell K Royal,Texas Memorial Stadium. This isn’t just another game for Arch Manning; it’s a test of everything he just said. Can he back up those powerful words and turn this season around, or will the bench talk become a reality? It’s do or die time, and we’re about to find out if he can truly “let her rip.”
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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