Texas is absolutely reeling right now, dropping their second straight game to unranked opposition, and head coach Steve Sarkisian just dropped a bomb: he’s weighing “major changes” to the team’s depth chart. The Longhorns’ form has been so bad that a 17-3 lead over Florida completely evaporated, with Arch Manning right at the heart of the collapse as Gators backup Tramell Jones Jr. outgunned him en route to a brutal 27-24 defeat.
Sarkisian’s Stinging Words After the Florida Fiasco
You gotta wonder what was going through Sarkisian’s head as that lead vanished, and he didn’t pull any punches after the game. Per Pro Football Talk, Sarkisian said, “I just felt like we didn’t play good offensive football and we’re not playing great offensive football right now.” That’s a pretty harsh assessment, but it gets even wilder. When asked directly if “everything” being evaluated included considering benching Arch Manning, the Longhorns boss didn’t even try to rule it out. His response? A chilling “Everything means everything.” Talk about putting a guy on blast!
Arch Manning’s Stock Is Plummeting Faster Than a Hail Mary
Let’s be real, Manning has been toiling in recent weeks. Yeah, he returned to form slightly in Week 7 with 173 yards and a touchdown on 14-of-20 passing, but even that game had major warts. He fumbled the ball away late, practically gifting the Gators the victory. Before that, against Oklahoma, he was even worse, throwing two interceptions in a loss that sunk the then-No. 1 Longhorns’ chances against an unranked team. This is a guy who was a favorite to be the first name called in the 2027 Draft, and now his stock looks like it’s fallen precipitously. Texas’s College Football Playoff hopes are dwindling, and it’s looking less and less like Manning is the guaranteed answer.
With four straight ranked opponents on the horizon, Sarkisian isn’t messing around. Could we see highly-touted recruit Karle Lacey Jr. step in and inject some life into this dour offense? If Sarkisian believes Lacey Jr. can rocket them towards CFP contention, the blowback of leaving Manning out of the side might just prove worth it. This next stretch is gonna be wild, and everything is truly on the line for Texas.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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