Arch Manning’s Glaring Issue Turns Into Blessing in Disguise as Steve Sarkisian Receives Strong Verdict

Arch Manning remains largely untested under the blinding lights of Saturdays, but the flashes he offered last season have Texas fans buzzing with anticipation. He’ll open the 2025 season with all eyes on him in Columbus against the Ohio State Buckeyes on August 30—a baptism by fire for a QB carrying a name that echoes through the sport’s halls like a church bell on Sunday. In the lead-up, Manning’s been clocking reps with QB Country and tightening up fundamentals at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium. And while the hype machine is humming, the real conversation centers around a surprising issue that might actually be Texas’ greatest gift heading into a title-hungry year.

It starts with a misconception. You hear the name Arch Manning, you see the quick feet and smooth mechanics, and your first instinct is to think dual-threat weapon. But that’s where it gets tricky. “I think everyone’s initial reaction or initial thought process would be his athleticism, right? Using his legs, all that good stuff,” said Brooks Austin on On Texas Football. “And I’m with you to an extent, but it’s a lot easier to use Arch Manning’s legs when we have Quinn Ewers as a starter. It’s not so easy to use Arch Manning’s legs when he is the starter, if that makes sense.”

So what really shifts with Arch under center? It’s the deep ball. That missing vertical bite in Texas’ offense may finally find its fangs. “My initial thought process when I think about where Arch might improve this offense—and Texas fans will know this ad nauseam—it’s the deep game passing accuracy,” Austin continued. “Like Quinn just struggled with it. He struggled with it for the entire time at Texas… Driving the ball down the field consistently and accurately was a drastic flaw, in my opinion in Quinn’s game. I don’t think it’s going to be that with Arch.” That 25+-yard-long range suddenly feels alive.

If Arch Manning can consistently connect deep, it stretches the field, forces safeties to backpedal, and reopens everything the Texas Longhorns leaned on before—especially the screen and yards-after-catch game. “You’re still going to do some of that, but I think you’re going to see drastic improvements in your deep game passing attack, which is what Texas explosive offense is, as a door comes into the screen right now,” Austin added with a knowing grin.

Texas QB @ArchManning had a great May. Hook’em Horns & Roll Wave!!!! #QBcountry pic.twitter.com/QT1IKwrmu8

— QB Country (@QBCountry) June 6, 2025

And while Manning’s legs may not be the centerpiece, they’re certainly not absent from the show. In 2024, he carried the ball 25 times, gained 108 yards, punched in 4 touchdowns, and averaged 4.3 yards per carry. He’s still working on it, fine-tuning the movement, but the flashes are there. At Tulane, he could be seen working on footwork and release mechanics, smoothly slinging passes across short, intermediate, and deep zones. The buildup feels different this time. The ceiling? Sky-high.

Steve Sarkisian is embracing it all—but he’s also daring to dream ahead. “Here’s what I hope,” Sarkisian said. “I hope he’s got a really hard decision to make on about January 21. That means we played for a long time. That means he probably had a really good season. And that means he’s probably 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, really hard decision. I hope it’s not a no-brainer for him to come back to school.” That’s more than coach speak. That’s a marker. It shows where this staff believes Arch Manning could take them and where Arch might take himself.

Heisman hype? Arch Manning’s set to light it up

Word out of Austin, Las Vegas, and pretty much every corner of the SEC? Arch Manning might just be that guy in 2025. According to Athlon Sports’ 2025, the buzz is real. One anonymous SEC assistant dropped the mic. “Right now, the belief is that Arch [Manning] will elevate the offense immediately, and you can expect a much more dynamic scheme from Sark [Steve Sarkisian]. This kid is a legit, Heisman-level package. Provided he produces at that level, the offense will be even better. They’re stacked with talent.”

Now that’s some serious praise. Manning enters the season with sky-high expectations—and for good reason. Texas has made back-to-back CFP semifinal appearances and just signed the No. 1 high school recruiting class. Yep, Sarkisian isn’t just building a contender—he’s building a machine.

The SEC coach chimed in with more love: “This program is one of the most effectively run in terms of personnel, NIL and the new era of the sport. If Manning blows up and goes to the league next year, this is still the program to chase. They’re professionalizing in a way other programs aren’t.” In short? Arch might go boom, and Texas might just become the blueprint.

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