The matchup between the Texas Longhorns and ULM featured the official debut of Arch Manning as starting quarterback. The dominating 51-3 victory in Week 4 of the NCAAF signals that Steve Sarkisian‘s squad is a serious title contender. Regarding Manning’s performance, the head coach made it clear what to expect moving forward.
Manning’s debut as starter, following Quinn Ewers’ injury, generated excitement not only among Longhorns fans but also throughout the college football landscape. Despite all the attention on him, his performance was solid and led Texas to another victory.
Regarding Manning’s performance, it was none other than Coach Steve Sarkisian who, in a post-game press conference, shared his thoughts on the quarterback’s outing.
“Learning lessons, right? To think he was gonna come out and play a perfect game – I don’t think anybody in here though that. We thought he was gonna prepare really well, work really hard – do everything he could to play good football. He was gonna have some lessons learned – and I think that’s what tonight was about.“
Manning completed 15 of 29 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns against the Warhawks (2-1), although he did have some forced throws, missed opportunities, and two interceptions.
Manning shared his feelings after the victory
The highly anticipated debut of Arch Manning as starting QB for the Texas Longhorns showcased a solid performance, with some expected mistakes. However, it resulted in another victory for Steve Sarkisian’s team, positioning them as serious title contenders.
Following his debut as starter, Manning reflected on his performance after the game against the Warhawks, sharing his feelings about capitalizing on a solid outing. He expressed gratitude for the support of his teammates and a determination to keep improving.
“Obviously there’s a lot to improve on, stuff that I want back, but it’s a good first win,” Manning said.
What’s next for the Longhorns?
Under Steve Sarkisian’s leadership, the Longhorns boast a 4-0 record, securing convincing victories against Colorado State, Michigan, UTSA, and the previously mentioned game against ULM.
Texas played its final non-conference game before beginning its first SEC schedule at home next week against Mississippi State. In light of this, Sarkisian shared his thoughts on the upcoming challenge.
“The preseason is over,” Sarkisian said. “We don’t need to do anything different. The guys know that when we do it right, we can perform at a pretty high level.”