Despite playing football for 123 years, the Texas Longhorns do not truly boast an extensive number of great quarterbacks. Yet, the legends the program does boast won often and on the biggest stages.
Quinn Ewers takes his 68 passing touchdowns (third all-time) to the NFL. Now, redshirt sophomore Arch Manning, with the wind at his back, can craft a legacy that surpasses every QB who wore the burnt orange and white.
Arch Manning Ready To Take Flight
Manning steps into a starting spot with elite athletes all over the offense. He will enter the 2025 season as the undisputed starter for the Longhorns. What does that look like, and who will help them chase for their first national title in 20 years?
The most important part of a QB off the field, outside of teammate chemistry, is the synergy with the coach. Manning chose Texas, redshirted, and waited his turn. That alone speaks volumes about what he thinks about head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Recently, the new Longhorns starter sat down with ESPN’s Marty Smith and gave his wholehearted endorsement of his head coach.
“I think he fits his offense and his play calling to his players. He’s smart, he’s innovative, and he wants to win. He’s a competitive guy. He works really hard, prepares, and he gets us in the right position to win games.”
With relatively limited experience (95 career attempts), Manning will welcome an overwhelming number of skill position talents to Austin. 247Sports rates Texas’ 2025 recruiting class as the nation’s best, resulting in a proverbial embarrassment of riches. A trio of wideouts will begin their careers under the Texas sun.
Five-star WR recruit Kaliq Lockett highlights the group. Ranked as the 21st overall player in the 2025 class, Locket brings size (6’2″) and a second gear to the huddle. Incoming prospects Jamie Ffrench, Daylan McCutcheon, and Michael Terry III present instant matchup headaches. Returning players will assist their new starter as the four make their way into the offense.
From the first snap of camp, look for Manning and junior WR DeAndre Moore to become a stronger connection. Moore brings an economically explosive approach. With only 39 catches, the wideout turned seven of those into touchdowns with a 28.5-yards-per-catch average.
Running back Tre Wisner (1,064 yards and five touchdowns in 2024) will see even more snaps with Jaydon Blue heading to the NFL Draft. A solid receiving corps buttressed with a sound run game will aid the young passer in endeavoring to return to the playoffs.
Looking at the 2025 schedule, you can see a couple of possible hiccups for Manning. Right off the bat, the Longhorns journey to Columbus to face the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeeys. Nothing like a trial by fire immediately.
Trips to Florida to face a resurgent Gators squad and Georgia to battle the Bulldogs line the schedule. To finish the season, the Horns welcome bitter rival Texas A&M to DKR Memorial Stadium.
Manning possesses both a football pedigree and an outstanding skill set. Now, the nation will solely focus on the latter while not forgetting the former. Yet, in earnest, no situation looks better for a starter to ease into than an offense where the receivers and running backs are three, and even in some cases four, players deep.
KEEP READING: Quinn Ewers’ Last Word of Advice to Texas’ Next QB
With a strong arm, poise, and mobility, Texas not only looks like a playoff threat — but one that could appear in the national championship. If Manning plays well, as expected, no one will care what his surname is.
He could carve his name on the list of quarterback immortals in Austin. Right now, he sits 39th on the passing yardage list with 939. With a 3,000-yard season, that number spikes to 12th. With records in reach, the latest Manning hopes to blaze his own trail.
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