After a year behind Quinn Ewers as a freshman, Arch Manning is looking at that same role as a sophomore in 2024. But with Maalik Murphy off to Duke via the transfer portal, the former top recruit will now be Ewers’ primary backup.
Manning’s college journey is an interesting one after generating so much excitement on the recruiting trail. He’s looking at another year of a backup role, and although rumors swirled about the idea of a transfer after Ewers came back, the sense remained Manning was happy in Austin under Steve Sarkisian.
Longhorn great Colt McCoy echoed that sentiment Friday, breaking down Manning’s role through two years and why it speaks to what Sarkisian is building. In the process, the young quarterback can maximize his potential by continuing to learn.
“I love Arch,” McCoy said. “I think that having the ability to sit for a couple years, it’s not normal. It’s not normal in college football these days. A lot of guys transfer, a lot of guys want a chance to play and that’s great. I think from Arch’s perspective, he’s working really hard. He’s learning a bunch from Quinn. If I’m a high school quarterback, if I’m growing up in Texas, there’s one place – I want to go play for Coach Sark. You watch his offense, you watch the way that he calls plays, you watch the formations, the mismatches, the tells the quarterback gets before the ball is in his hand. That’s what you want to want to go play for. I think Arch recognizes that.
“Arch is saying, I’m very comfortable here, where I’m at. Yeah, we all want to play. But I’m learning, I’m growing sot hat when the ball’s in my hands when I get out there, I trust the system. I trust all this growth that I’ve made my first two years, and I’m gonna go out there and play. I think he’s gonna be well prepared for that, and it’s definitely an advantage for UT. It’s an advantage for Texas to have a guy like that, prepared. … This is a place where if you’re a quarterback, you want to be. You can learn and you can grow. And you can learn a system that’s gonna make you NFL ready. I think for UT, we’re blessed to have a guy like Coach Sark.
This story will be updated.
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