Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns had an ace up their sleeves during the 17-7 Lone Star Showdown victory over Texas A&M. Backup quarterback Arch Manning was put under center for a few plays that took the Aggies by surprise. Ahead of the highly-anticipated clash with the Georgia Bulldogs, Sarkisian made an intriguing comment on Manning’s role that will keep Kirby Smart on edge.
As Quinn Ewers had battled all week with a high-ankle sprain and he was not deemed fully-healthy for the clash against the Aggies, the Longhorns dialed up design QB run plays for backup Arch Manning.
The bold strategy paid off when Arch opened the scoring in a fourth-down rushing play. Sarkisian acknowledged the impact that Manning’s touchdown run had on the rest of the team.
Going into December 7th Title game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Longhorns count on Ewers to lead them to their first SEC championship. However, Texas is confident in their QB room and are aware of the bearing both of their signal callers have on the opposition’s preparation.
When asked whether he planned to play Manning throughout the game, Sarkisian’s cryptic answer will keep Georgia on its toes.
“We might,” Steve Sarkisian stated, per On3. “I don’t know. We’re gonna run stuff Saturday that we haven’t run all year because of who were are as a team. There’s always things that we’re gonna do that are new. I think that the beauty of these guys, offensively, is that they really accept that stuff.”
Update on Quinn Ewers
Although he put on a very strong performance during the NCAA‘s Rivalry Week matchup with Texas A&M, Quinn Ewers was not 100% healthy as he threw for 218 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. The Longhorns starting quarterback had been practicing in limited capacity through the week, though his status as starter was never really in doubt.
Ahead of an even greater game, Ewers is still hindered by his ankle sprain but he will not miss out on Texas’ unique shot at silverware. Sarkisian provided a key update on his QB1’s health, keeping it short and simple: “He practiced today, and it’ll be very similar to last week.”
Kirby Smart sends strong praise to Manning
The Georgia Bulldogs were one of the schools that heavily recruited five-star Arch Manning as he stepped into the college football stage of his career. Though Manning committed to Texas, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has no remorse for the talented freshman.
While the Dawgs gear up for the paramount game against the Longhorns, Smart addressed the backup QB in Austin. He’s fully aware that there is a chance Manning could step onto the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, and the Bulldogs aren’t taking any chances.
“As far as Arch goes, he’s what everybody thought he was. He’s athletic, smart, thick, a great thrower. He can run their entire offense while at the same time creating designed runs or off-schedule runs.
“Both [QBs] are scary because designed runs with [Manning] are tough to defend because you’re having to defend the whole field, and then he’s also an elite thrower and passer.“