Dec 2, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) in action during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma State Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. credits: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports There’s an unspoken rule amongst starting quarterbacks everywhere.
“Never let them see the backup.”
While Texas likely won’t be replacing starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, who was sidelined during the Longhorns’ blowout victory against UTSA in the first half with an abdominal strain, Arch Manning showed us what the future of Texas football looks like.
And it’s pretty freaking awesome.
Ewers likely won’t miss much time with the strained abdomen. It’s just a pulled muscle.
But Manning left little meat off the bone during his first real opportunity to play. He saw that opportunity and kicked the door down. It was a small sample size, but in Stephen Sarkisian’s offense, Manning looked like the future face of college football. A Heisman candidate. A “can’t miss” NFL quarterback prospect.
Hell, even New York Giants fans are already clamoring for their team to draft Manning, who is still technically a freshman after redshirting last season.
Manning’s first three plays were nothing short of electric. A touchdown pass, a handoff and a 67-yard touchdown run that damn near broke the internet. Seriously, though. Mannings do not normally move like that.
Usually, when a starting quarterback goes down, everyone holds their breath. That should’ve especially been the case with Ewers, who has Texas as the No. 2 ranked team in the nation with legitimate National Championship aspirations.
But the hype around Manning is unreal. He’s certainly the most high-profile backup quarterback in recent memory. And he stepped into the game and actually delivered right away. The future of Texas football—and candidly college football—is in great hands with another Manning in the driver’s seat.
The Longhorns did not just beat UTSA. They dismantled them. Manning threw for 223 yards and four touchdowns, completing 75 percent of his passes. Ewers had 185 yards of his own before exiting the game and added two touchdown passes.
Up next, Texas has LA-Monroe. After that, they have Mississippi State, an SEC school that was just dominated by Toledo in a game where they paid $1.2 million just to be embarrassed on their home field.
If the Longhorns wanted to let Ewers get rested up, they have that luxury. After what was put on tape Saturday night, Manning shouldn’t have any issue with those next two matchups. The Longhorns have an October 12 matchup with current No. 15 Oklahoma, followed by a showdown with the Georgia Bulldogs. You have to imagine they’d want Ewers in uniform, healthy and ready to go for those ones.
Ewers is eligible for the NFL Draft after this season and is anticipated to be a top quarterback prospect. There are so many games left to be played for a team with title aspirations this year, but it’s hard not to dream a little bit about what the future might look like.
