What to know about Arch Manning as he makes his first start for Texas

Arch Manning, probably the most well-known backup quarterback in soccer, will make his first faculty begin Saturday night time for No. 1 Texas in opposition to Louisiana-Monroe, changing the injured Quinn Ewers.

The 19-year-old son of Cooper Manning, Arch represents the following era of soccer royalty from the Manning household. His grandfather, Archie, starred at Ole Miss within the Sixties and performed for the New Orleans Saints within the NFL. His uncles, Peyton and Eli, gained two Tremendous Bowls apiece within the NFL after embellished faculty careers at Tennessee and Ole Miss, respectively.

How did Arch get right here and what’s subsequent? Right here’s a information to what to know heading into the Longhorns’ recreation in opposition to the Warhawks, which will probably be streaming on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET Saturday.

What has Manning achieved at Texas to date?

Manning’s existence at Texas has been a little bit of a throwback to the best way quarterback growth was earlier than the switch portal. Manning enrolled at Texas in 2023, redshirted and noticed minimal time because the third-string quarterback behind Ewers and backup Maalik Murphy. He made his profession debut within the fourth quarter of the Longhorns’ regular-season finale, a 57-7 win over Texas Tech, and led two drives.

Manning noticed simply 27 snaps in two video games final 12 months (he got here within the following week to take knees and kill the clock within the Longhorns’ Massive 12 championship recreation win over Oklahoma State) however Murphy transferred to Duke after the season. Ewers opted to remain at Texas for yet another season slightly than enter the draft, cementing him because the Longhorns’ starter for a 3rd consecutive season.

Manning has been Ewers’ major backup and is already seeing extra recreation time in 2024, with 55 mixed snaps in wins in opposition to Colorado State and UTSA. Within the 12 drives Manning has led this season, the Longhorns have scored seven touchdowns. For the season, Manning is 14-of-18 passing for 318 yards and 5 touchdowns and has two landing runs.

He accomplished his first 5 go makes an attempt in a 52-0 Week 1 win in opposition to Colorado State, notching his first profession touchdowns. Towards UTSA, Manning entered for an injured Ewers within the second quarter and threw for 4 touchdowns and ran for a 67-yard rating. He completed 9 of 12 passing for 223 yards in a 56-7 win over the Roadrunners. — Sam Khan Jr.

CAN’T TOUCH HIM 😮‍💨@ArchManning pic.twitter.com/65nR57qIR5

— Texas Soccer (@TexasFootball) September 15, 2024

Why is Manning making his first begin now?

Ewers left the UTSA recreation early within the second quarter with a strained indirect and didn’t return. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian stated Monday that Ewers was “questionable” for Saturday’s recreation in opposition to ULM and that the Longhorns would monitor his progress all through the week. On Thursday, Sarkisian stated Ewers made “nice strides” in his restoration however within the curiosity of his long-term well being and profession, in addition to getting him wholesome for SEC play, determined to start out Manning.

“I’m wanting ahead to his future as a participant but in addition the way forward for the season for us and the longevity,” Sarkisian stated. “Getting him probably yet another week more healthy for the long run, I believe is sweet for us as we’re preparing for SEC play.”

Sarkisian added that Ewers’ targets — main Texas to a nationwide championship, being within the Heisman Trophy race and changing into a top-five NFL Draft choose — gained’t be disrupted by lacking Saturday’s recreation. And Sarkisian needs to see how Manning runs the offense and operates because the starter.

“(He) had a extremely good week to work, understands the plan,” Sarkisian stated of Manning. “But it surely’s totally different once you’re the beginning quarterback versus coming in chilly off the bench as a backup. So, totally different problem for him. However I do know that he’ll be greater than able to exit and function and play soccer at a excessive degree for us.” — Khan

Will Texas have a QB controversy when Ewers returns?

No. Ewers is the starter. When he’s wholesome sufficient to return, he will probably be QB1.

Manning is an outstanding expertise and appears like he’ll be a star when his time comes. He’s adequate to start out for many different applications right this moment. However Ewers has risen to the event in large moments for Texas repeatedly and occurs to even be an elite expertise too. Like Manning in 2023, Ewers was the No. 1 recruit within the 2021 class. He’s a possible first-round choose within the 2025 NFL Draft. He beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa and took the Longhorns to the Playoff final 12 months and beat Michigan in Ann Arbor this 12 months. He has 25 begins beneath his belt and three years of expertise on this offense. There is no such thing as a quarterback controversy at Texas. — Khan

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Does Louisiana-Monroe pose a problem Saturday?

The Warhawks had been picked to complete final of their division and acquired the fewest votes within the Solar Belt Convention’s preseason media ballot, although they’ve had a pleasant 2-0 begin beneath new coach Bryant Vincent. They dominated UAB, 32-6, on Sept. 7. ULM has 73 new gamers on its roster, headlined by Oklahoma switch quarterback Common Booty, who has a connection to Manning, regardless that they’ve by no means met.

Regardless of the feel-good nature of ULM’s begin, don’t anticipate the Warhawks to be on this recreation deep into the second half. They’re ranked one hundredth in The Athletic’s rankings of all 134 Soccer Bowl Subdivision groups and are 44.5-point underdogs on Saturday in response to BetMGM, as a result of the expertise gulf between the applications is important. ULM is hoping to make a bowl recreation for the primary time since 2012, whereas the Longhorns have their sights set on the Playoff and a nationwide championship run. — Khan

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How did Manning find yourself at Texas?

No recruit within the fashionable period attracted extra basic curiosity than Manning, who was ranked because the nation’s prime prospect within the Class of 2023. Manning had his choose of any faculty within the nation as one of the vital coveted prospects in recruiting historical past, however he took official visits to a few colleges in June 2022: Georgia, Alabama and Texas.

He dedicated to the Longhorns simply six days after his official go to to Austin and about 11 months after information broke that Texas can be leaving the Massive 12 for the SEC. The Texas determination made numerous sense for Manning, who may spend his early days with this system creating and studying behind Ewers earlier than taking on the offense himself as soon as Ewers headed to the NFL.

Sarkisian has lengthy been thought of one of many sport’s most distinguished offensive masterminds and has spent his profession teaching quarterbacks. After Manning issued his dedication, his highschool coaches at Isidore Newman College in New Orleans — the place his father and uncles performed — may sense how at peace he felt.

“He’s simply in such place mentally,” Manning’s highschool coach, Nelson Stewart, stated in October 2022. “He’s having enjoyable … and he’s enjoying so free.” — Grace Raynor

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What was Manning like as a recruit?

Pundits docked Manning for the extent of competitors he confronted whereas at Newman, a Class 2A faculty, however he was capable of fight that stigma when Newman performed one in all its most troublesome schedules in program historical past throughout his senior 12 months and he opened the season with a 21-point highway victory at Class 5A Hahnville. Amongst Manning’s most spectacular traits had been his capability to increase performs when issues broke down and the persistence to undergo a number of reads in his development — even scoring touchdowns on his fifth learn at occasions. Manning broke Eli’s faculty report of seven,268 profession passing yards and Peyton’s faculty report of 93 profession passing touchdowns. He completed his highschool profession with 8,599 profession passing yards and 115 touchdowns in opposition to 20 interceptions, throwing simply two picks throughout his senior season.

However for as embellished as Manning was on the sector, he was one of the vital low-maintenance recruits in current historical past off it. He stayed out of the highlight as a lot as attainable and introduced his dedication to Texas by sending out his first and solely tweet on the time to his private Twitter web page. As soon as he dedicated to the Longhorns, there was by no means any buzz a couple of potential flip and he signed the paperwork in a ceremony at his highschool. — Raynor

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What’s Manning’s NFL Draft future?

The 19-year-old Manning will probably be eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft after his junior 12 months of lessons, although he can have three years of eligibility for faculty soccer remaining after this season as a result of he redshirted as a freshman in 2023.

Bodily, at 6 ft 4, 225 kilos with legit pace, athletic burst and first-round arm expertise, Manning appears to be like like a super quarterback prospect. It’s attainable he’ll add power, solely enhancing his burst and agility within the pocket and basic sturdiness long-term. Frankly, we don’t have sufficient knowledge proper now to provide him a correct draft projection. The aid responsibility final week in opposition to UTSA was probably the most we’ve seen of Manning, and whereas it featured numerous nice stuff — each along with his ft and arm — it additionally confirmed an inexperienced passer who missed a couple of reads and wasn’t at all times in rhythm.

Nevertheless, Manning’s pure quarterback instincts — footwork and processing — are elite. He usually performs the sport with a rhythm and exhibits an understanding of a posh offense. Most essential: He’s affected person. The actual fact he wasn’t afraid to go to a faculty like Texas and grind with out drama — just because he needs to study from Sarkisian in a steady setting — exhibits a sort of maturity not usually seen from right this moment’s blue-chip quarterback recruits. — Nick Baumgardner

(Picture: Tim Warner / Getty Pictures)