Arch Manning Makes Surprising Decision About His Future At Texas
In this era of college football, Manning is taking the path less traveled
Matthew Horner - Jul 9, 2024, 6:27pm EDT
The Long(horn) Haul
In this era of college football, where the transfer portal is utilized more than ever before, highly-touted prospects rarely decide to stay at a school where they won't get playing time. It is common practice now for players to move from program to program to put themselves in the best position to succeed, and to get drafted into the NFL. It is hard to get noticed when you are sitting on the bench each Saturday. That's why it is so puzzling as to why Texas QB Arch Manning has decided to stay with the Longhorns, despite starter (and presumed Heisman candidate) Quinn Ewers returning for another season.
Manning has almost zero experience at the college level entering his sophomore year, and it appears that he might not get any until he is a junior. The name on the back of his jersey is what makes this story so intriguing, as the name "Manning" is synonymous with success. His Super Bowl-winning uncles Peyton and Eli have ensured that he gets a ton of attention, and a lot of criticism as well.
Fandom Playing A Part
In an interview he did recently, Manning talked about why he has decided to stick it out at Texas instead of transferring and starting elsewhere. “It’s tough because you want to be out there playing with your boys,” Manning said, per Yahoo Sports. “But (it came down to) just realizing there’s nowhere else I want to be, and it was my dream to play at Texas. I’m going to stick it out and play there eventually.”
Some have been very critical of the young man, pointing out that sitting around and waiting is a detriment to his career, and that having less experience is a negative thing coming out of college. Others think he is playing it smart, learning as much as he can from Ewers and his coaches, to maximize his abilities immediately when he gets the starting nod.
Texas Futures
It's very clear that Manning is only going to play at Texas for his favorite team, so it is likely that he won't be starting a game until 2025. However, Ewers has had injury concerns in the past, and Manning certainly might have a chance to step into the starting role at some point. The Longhorns will enter the year as one of the favorites to win the title, with most books offering around 7.5/1 odds.