Being a third-generation Manning means expectations are through the roof for Texas quarterback Arch Manning.
Manning, the son of Cooper Manning, nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning and grandson of Archie Manning, comes from a lineage of legendary football players. Now, he’ll get a chance to finally prove himself as he gets ready to start for the Longhorns.
Paul Finebaum Optimistic About Arch Manning at Texas
ESPN’s Paul Finebaum weighed in on how the Longhorns would look with Manning behind center on the network’s “SportsCenter” Tuesday, arguing that the team should have put him in even earlier than they did.
“There is nothing finer than Arch Manning starting at Texas. It’s long overdue,” Finebaum said. “Arch Manning should have come in in the Cotton Bowl loss to Ohio State, and I think there’s a chance that that game could have gone differently. But he is going to bring Texas within a whisker of perhaps another run at a national championship.”
Many Texas fans certainly side with Finebaum on that one, wishing the quarterback replaced the struggling Quinn Ewers in the team’s 28-14 loss. Ewers completed only 23-of-39 passes, throwing for two touchdowns and an interception. One of Ewers’ two fumbles was recovered by Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer, who took it 83-yards for the game-winning score.
Despite the struggles head coach Steve Sarkisian stuck by Ewers, ultimately costing the team the game. It wasn’t for a lack of trying from Manning, who threw for 583 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in two starts while Ewers recovered from an abdominal injury early in the year; he added 29 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He also threw for 223 yards, rushed for 53 yards and had five total touchdowns subbing in for Ewers in a Week 2 win over UTSA.
Now, Sarkisian is all in on Manning.
“Arch is a great player, but I hope for everybody here that we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves,” Sarkisian said. “Let’s let this guy go play this year. Let’s let him have fun in finally getting his opportunity as the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns. It’s been a lifelong dream for this guy to do this.
KEEP READING: Texas Coach Steve Sarkisian Shares Bold Prediction About Future National Champions
“I know some of you 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.”
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