The upcoming NCAAF season will be Arch Manning‘s chance to fully showcase his talent. Overshadowed by Quinn Ewers, the now starting QB will have his moment of glory with the Texas Longhorns, a team he chose for specific reasons to pursue his college football career.
In a recent interview with ESPN’s Marty Smith, Manning made it clear why he ultimately decided on Sarkisian‘s team, despite having other appealing offers on the table.
“There are a few reasons. I liked Coach Sark [Steve Sarkisian] a lot from the jump. Austin was a good spot for me. There’s so much to do here,” Manning told Smith. “And then, most importantly, I think I wanted to go somewhere where, you know, maybe they haven’t been as good the past few years, and were kind of on the rise. Kind of wanted to bring Texas back.”
In addition to the reasons why he chose to join the Texas program, Arch Manning made the bold decision to stay, knowing that he might not have many opportunities to play due to Ewers‘ starting role. He chose not to seek a fresh start through the Transfer Portal.
“I think mostly because I liked being here,” Manning added. “Austin’s great. I have a bunch of friends. I like my teammates. I like my friends outside of football. So, there wasn’t really any reason to leave, because I wanted to be here. You know, it wasn’t always easy being the backup, but I think it’s paid off. I won’t take it for granted, now that I get to play a little bit more.”
Sarkisian retains a key member of his staff
With his focus on the upcoming season and the main goal of repeating or even improving last year’s performance, Steve Sarkisian knows he must have an elite roster, as well as a coaching staff that supports him in his daily work.
The good news is that running backs coach Tashard Choice has finally confirmed his commitment to the program, despite interest from an NFL franchise. Through a post on his official X account @coachchoice, the coach made it clear that he will continue alongside Sark for the upcoming year: “Amya says Hook Em.”
This past Saturday, Choice was interviewed by the Dallas Cowboys for the same role he held in college. However, the talks did not materialize, and ultimately, the RB’s coach will remain with the Longhorns.