Coming off a third straight win to start the 2026 NCAA season, Arch Manning remained self-critical despite the Texas Longhorns‘ win over the UTSA Roadrunners. Still, Steve Sarkisian didn’t cut Manning any slack. With No. 1 Texas travelling to Knoxville to take on the No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers, Coach Sarkisian had a strong order for Manning.
“I would like for [Manning] to be smarter when he runs,” Sarkisian said during his press conference, via On Texas Football reporter CJ Vogel. Sarkisian still had a lot of praise of what Manning can do on the ground, and it may be a big factor against No. 14 Tennessee on Saturday at Neyland Stadium.
“[Arch Manning] doesn’t play the position like a robot, he uses his legs to his advantage, but he doesn’t use his legs all of the time. Using those at opportune times is beneficial for him and for us,” Sarkisian said.
Following the statement win over Ohio State, expectations were high for Manning and Texas against UTSA at home. However, the Longhorns’ quarterback and the rest of the offense looked a step off their A-game. The Horns had no turnovers, but came awfully close several times. Manning finished the night with a 30.7 QB Rating, but perhaps the lowlight of the game was a play in which he scrambled for a first down on a third-and-one situation.
Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning of the Texas Longhorns.
Close call for Manning
After picking up the first down, Manning showed no regard for his health and ran right into trouble, where he was sandwiched by two defenders. His helmet popped up and off his head, putting him in a very compromising position. Most likely, that was the play in Sarkisian’s mind when he ordered Arch to be smart with his legs.
Against the Roadrunners, the heir to football’s royal quarterback family got away with his misjudged decision. Against Tennessee, another SEC opponent, or a powerhouse across college football, he may not enjoy similar luck, and that’s the last thing Sarkisian and the Longhorns need in 2026.
The Volunteers are second among SEC programs in sacks made this season (13, only behind LSU’s 14). With the Vols getting to opposing quarterbacks as often and efficiently as they do, Manning can’t take any more unnecessary hits, especially not in the open field.
Arch Manning in Knoxville
Although it’s become routine for Manning, the national spotlight will be fixed upon him on Saturday in Knoxville. Arch will play at Neyland Stadium, where his uncle Peyton Manning became a legend, for the first time in his college football career. Ahead of such a special, hair-standing, nerves-wracking game, Sarkisian had some great piece of advice for his talented signal-caller.
“I think that it’s important for him to not try to be something that doesn’t best suit him. I want him to be him, to be Arch Manning. I don’t want him to be Archie, Peyton, or Eli. I don’t want him to be Colt McCoy or Vince Young. I want him to be Arch Manning, and Arch Manning is plenty good enough for us to put us in a position to win.”
Such a statement from his head coach would be extremely useful and reassuring on any given week in the NCAA schedule. However, it bears extra weight and meaning as Arch comes off a lackluster showing against an inferior opponent and must turn the page entirely before entering a hostile environment in Knoxville, a city forever intertwined with his family’s legacy but that will show no love to Peyton’s nephew on Saturday.
As the saying in George R. R. Martin’s best-selling series, A Game of Thrones, goes, “There must always be a Stark in Winterfell,” the same could be said about a Manning in Knoxville. However, Arch chose to play for a different UT in college football, and his path has only crossed with the Vols in 2026, three years after he enrolled at Texas and became a Longhorn. There will be a Manning in Knoxville, but in the body of an unwelcome guest.
Key takeaways
- Steve Sarkisian urged his quarterback to be smarter when running.
- The Volunteers currently rank second among SEC programs with 13 recorded sacks.
- Texas faces Tennessee at Neyland Stadium following a victory over UTSA.
