The Texas Longhorns are looking to start their NCAA season 4-0. As starting quarterback Quinn Ewers remains out of play, Steve Sarkisian has named Arch Manning the team’s QB as they host UL Monroe Warhawks on September 21st. As the star freshman Manning prepares for his first college football start, Coach Sark had some crucial advice for him.
Manning may be the most hyped quarterback in all of college football. Despite the great buzz around Arch, the youngest scion of football’s premier quarterback family has limited experience in the NCAA and his first start will be a huge test for him.
As Arch’s Longhorns will come across a weaker opponent in UL Monroe, the game will be a bigger evaluation on the QB’s mindset. Whether he will deal with the jitters or can he perform as he did when coming off the bench. On many ways, Manning’s toughest opponent next Saturday will be himself. Ahead of such an important date, Sarkisian had strong advice for his debuting signal-caller.
“I don’t think he has to focus on leading right now,” Sarkisian said, viaInsideTexas. “I think he needs to focus on playing at a high level. The best way he’s going to lead is by doing what he’s done all week, which is prepare really well, do his job at a high level, and then his natural leadership will come out when it’s supposed to.“
Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns throws a pass in the fourth quarter against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
What is to be expected from Archibald Manning?
By now, fans have already watched Manning’s top plays against UTSA on loop. However, as Arch will have his first experience commanding an offense tailored to him and a defense schemed to bring out his weaknesses, the production may not be as effective.
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Sarkisian addressed his young quarterback and explained what the Longhorns hope to see from Arch during his first start in college football. The program relies on him for the upcoming years so this next game will provide great insight into the areas in which the coaching staff must focus on in Manning’s development.
“Execute. One thing when you come in cold off the bench like he got thrown into last week and what I really appreciated about him, he really executed the offense whether it was the passing game, the motions, shifts, all the stuff, him having to pull it and run. He executed.”
As Manning takes on a bigger responsibility, the Longhorns hope there is more where that came from.
Ewers remains QB1
Although the news on Manning’s first start have made waves all over the NCAA universe, the Longhorns have made it clear the position is still Quinn’s. And it won’t change hands this season as long as Ewers is fit to play.
However, the ‘Manning-mania’ may affect Ewers’ spirits and emotional state, so Sarkisian has sent a recomforting message to Quinn.
“He is in really good spirits. One thing I try to impress upon Quinn is all the goals he had and that we’ve had for him coming into this season are all still there for him.”
