Arch Manning is gearing up for the moment he dreamt of as a young boy wearing a burnt orange Texas Longhorns T-shirt back home in Louisiana. Now entering his third year at The Forty Acres, Manning faces a crucial season — with an even bigger decision looming at the end of it. On that note, head coach Steve Sarkisian dropped an honest statement about his wish for the redshirt sophomore quarterback, who is set to make a pivotal NFL Draft decision once the NCAA season wraps up.
The Longhorns are stepping into the Manning era in college football. Dubbed the next great thing in Austin, Arch Manning will have the eyes of Texas — and the entire country — glued to his every move as he takes over as the starter for Sarkisian’s team.
Arch, who turned 20 years old on April 27, is bearing all the pressure on his shoulders, with the University of Texas hoping he will hoist the first national title since 2005. It’s been two decades since the Longhorns could call themselves the best program in college football, and heading into the 2025 NCAA season there’s a big argument for the Horns to reclaim that title.
However, they must earn that recognition on the field. Manning will take over the huddle, showcasing his leadership abilities during his third year in college football. As the 2025 NFL Draft came to a close, many have already set their sights on the 2026 Draft. Although still early, Manning’s decision, whether he declares for the draft or stays for his redshirt junior year in Texas, is one that’s grabbed the spotlight recently.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns reacts on the field prior to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 01, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sarkisian’s hope for Manning’s first season as starter
Sarkisian spoke on the matter, offering a sincere admission about what he hopes for Manning after the 2025 NCAA season — when the heir to the Manning quarterback royal family reaches a crossroads and faces a crucial decision.
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“Here’s what I hope. I hope he’s got a really hard decision to make around January 21,” Steve Sarkisian said about Arch Manning’s draft decision, via InsideTexas. “That means we played a long time. That means he played a really good season.
“And that means he’s trying to figure out do I want one more year in the burnt orange or is it time to go to the NFL. I hope it’s a really hard decision. I hope it’s not a no-brainer to come back to school.”
Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns warms up prior to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl between the Texas Longhorns and Arizona State Sun Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 1, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Wait for it
While Manning’s decision ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft will be a hot topic all season long, similarly to Quinn Ewers’ situation as he elected to declare for the Draft instead of staying in college, Sarkisian is embracing the process.
“I hope for everyone here, we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves,” Sarkisian added during his press conference on Monday. “Lets let this guy go play this year. Lets let him have fun. He finally gets his opportunity to start at quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. It’s been a lifelong dream for this guy to do this. I know some of you may have seen the videos of him as a kid wearing the Longhorn jersey and talking about playing for Texas.
“It’s finally his time and I hope he can just have the opportunity to enjoy it and enjoy it the right way. Like a lot of guys on our team, he’s been dreaming about this his whole life and now he gets an opportunity to go do it. I just want to make sure that we all support him in his journey.”
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Manning and the Longhorns will have their first test against the reigning champions, as they kickstart the 2025 campaign with a hostile visit to The Horseshoe in Columbus to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes.
