Two years ago, Arch Manning was *the* sensitive topic in Austin, but for all the right reasons: fans were itching to see the savior-in-waiting take the field. Now, as his second season as a starter unfolds, Manning is still a sensitive topic, but this time, it’s because his performance has the Texas Longhorns sitting at a shaky 4-2, staring down College Football Playoff purgatory. What a shift, right? It feels like just yesterday the offense was grinding out wins to an SEC championship game and the CFP, even if it didn’t look totally clean back then.
Sarkisian’s Stance Changes As The Pressure Mounts
Back in 2024, when starting QB Quinn Ewers was beat up and the Texas offense was sputtering, questions about replacing him with the legendary young backup were everywhere. Coach Steve Sarkisian absolutely snapped back when asked about swapping Ewers for Manning, famously saying, “I’m not even going to answer that. I don’t know what the question is. Next question.” That was just two years ago, in this very same October week. History really does repeat itself, but with a wild twist. Fast forward to now, and Manning isn’t the untouchable heir apparent anymore.
With the Texas offense underperforming again this season, it’s Manning himself who’s become the subject of replacement speculation. And here’s the kicker: Sarkisian’s reaction this week to questions about his quarterback plan? Totally different. No indignant snap-back. Instead, he just flat out said, “I think there’s no doubt about it, Arch can play better for us. He’s our starter, but I need to see a better version of Arch Manning like I need to see a better version of a lot of guys on our offensive football team right now. But we need to see a better version of him this week.” Uh oh. When your coach says *that* about you, things are getting real.
What’s At Stake: A Season, A Player, And A Coach
At 4-2, the Longhorns are in a seriously precarious spot. They’re heading into a massive home game against No. 7 Ole Miss, and honestly, this one feels like it’ll either completely revive their season or just dump them straight into College Football Playoff purgatory. It’s hard to tell who’s got a shorter leash in Austin right now. Is it Arch, trying to live up to the hype on an alleged $50 million roster? Or is it Sarkisian, who’s got to figure out how to get this team clicking after missing the CFP last season with three losses and already racking up two this year? Right now, all eyes are on the quarterback. But if things don’t change, you know who’s next in line.
Across college football, the talk about Manning’s future has totally shifted. People aren’t just wondering about his NFL Draft stock anymore. Now, it’s all about whether he’ll even use his final year of college eligibility somewhere else. That’s a brutal reality check for a player who was once seen as the golden boy. Look, his inconsistent performances, killer mistakes, and what looks like an obvious struggle to process things on the field are undeniable. But weirdly enough, some scouts and front office folks apparently still see something the rest of us aren’t seeing on Saturdays. Up until Sarkisian’s new tone this week, Texas was basically saying the same thing: “You don’t see how good he is in practice, it’s just a matter of doing it in the game.” Well, they need him to do it in the game, like, yesterday.
This week against No. 7 Ole Miss, it’s all on the line. Can Arch Manning find that “better version” of himself Sarkisian is looking for? Because if he doesn’t, this season for Texas isn’t just going to be purgatory, it might just be a full-on nightmare for both him and his coach.
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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