In the newest episode of “Fansville,” Deputy Quinn Ewers is urged to name for backup however resists. After a quick change along with his fellow officer, Texas’ third-year beginning quarterback delivers the punchline.
“We don’t need any backup, even if he has great hair and famous relatives,” Ewers mentioned.
The allusion to Arch Manning is each an amusing second and intelligent writing in Ewers’ nationwide Dr Pepper industrial. However it additionally hints on the distinctive dynamic at Texas. Ewers, the previous No. 1 recruit in America, is among the most well-known names within the sport, a Heisman Trophy candidate who took the Longhorns to the Faculty Soccer Playoff final 12 months.
But Manning, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, grandson of Archie Manning and son of Cooper, nonetheless looms giant, no less than figuratively, due to these well-known kin and Arch’s lofty recruiting standing (he additionally was the No. 1 recruit in his class). That Arch has appeared in two video games and tried simply 5 passes in his Longhorns profession but remains to be given a wink and a nod within the beginning quarterback’s advert underscores the intrigue surrounding him.
However 19 months into his school profession, we’ve seen solely 27 recreation snaps of Arch, which solely heightens the fascination (followers love the backup quarterback, proper?). How a lot will we see of the redshirt freshman in 2024?
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Manning stays affected person
One of many first questions informal observers ask about Manning is whether or not he has thought of transferring since he hasn’t began. Thus far, Manning has given no indication that’s within the playing cards.
It’s honest to marvel as a result of switch quarterbacks have develop into the norm. Of the 68 energy convention groups, 43 are anticipated to begin transfers this season, based on Yahoo Sports activities, a 63 p.c fee.
However when requested in December earlier than the Sugar Bowl whether or not he thought of making a transfer whereas practising as third on the depth chart a lot of the season, Manning mentioned no.
“I haven’t looked into transferring at all,” he mentioned then. “I’m just focused on developing and helping this team in any way I can. And hopefully one day playing for the University of Texas like I’ve always wanted to.”
This summer time on the Manning Passing Academy, he reiterated his need to remain in Austin whereas acknowledging how robust it’s to remain affected person.
“It’s tough because you want to be out there playing with your boys,” Manning mentioned in July. “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.”
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Arch Manning and different QBs clarify resolution to switch or keep put
Manning and his household put quite a lot of time and care into the recruiting course of. Arch knew what he was getting into with Ewers already at Texas. The possibility to develop beneath Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, who has an extended monitor report of teaching profitable quarterbacks, was vital to Manning.
Sarkisian’s pupils embrace former USC quarterbacks Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Mark Sanchez, former Washington quarterback Jake Locker and former Alabama quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones.
“Part of your recruiting is your track record,” Sarkisian mentioned at SEC media days. “We’ve been lucky to teach some fairly good quarterbacks. We’ve been lucky to do it for some a long time now. We’ve been lucky to have some actually good quarterback rooms, and I believe the Manning household is fairly effectively conscious of that.
“I think they trained Arch to try to put himself in the best position to try to play in the best conference in America and then ultimately put himself in the best position to further his career playing in the National Football League.”
Due to that plan, Sarkisian doesn’t assume Manning’s resolution to attend it out has been too tough.
“I think Arch’s development has been important to the family, and he’s reaping the benefit of those things,” Sarkisian mentioned. “It hasn’t been very difficult at all. I think it’s been pretty simple for him.”
In Texas’ spring recreation, Arch Manning accomplished 19 of 25 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns. (Sara Diggins / USA Right this moment)
Ewers is entrenched because the starter
Going into 2024, there’s little question who QB1 is at Texas and there shouldn’t be. Ewers, who bypassed the NFL Draft to return for yet one more season, took large steps ahead in 2023. He considerably improved in most main statistical classes together with completion proportion (58.1 to 69 p.c), passing yards (2,177 to three,479), touchdowns (15 to 22), yards per try (7.4 to eight.8) and passer score (132.6 to 158.6). He additionally turned extra constant.
This 12 months, he’s beginning to have the look of a pacesetter. Sarkisian mentioned in July that though his bodily improvement and development have been nice, he has been extra enthusiastic about Ewers’ private and emotional improvement.
“That has instilled a ton of confidence in everybody in our building,” Sarkisian mentioned. “He walks in that constructing like he’s the beginning quarterback on the College of Texas for a top-five soccer workforce, and I believe that has permeated all through our locker room. …
“Now do I want more touchdowns, less interceptions, higher completion percentage? Of course. But I think those things are a byproduct of his preparation, are a byproduct of the confidence that he exudes and the way he goes to work.”
Historical past says the Longhorns will want Arch sooner or later
In every of Sarkisian’s three seasons, he has needed to flip to his backup quarterback. In 2021, he benched Hudson Card for Casey Thompson two weeks into the season however wound up needing each down the stretch due to accidents.
In 2022, Ewers missed three video games with an damage and missed two extra final 12 months. With this season probably longer due to the 12-team Playoff, it stands to motive that, sooner or later, the Longhorns want to show to Manning.
“Very comfortable if Arch goes in the game that he’ll go in and operate and operate at a high level,” Sarkisian mentioned Thursday.
There’s pleasure round Manning’s improvement
Final season was a studying expertise for Manning. After beginning his complete highschool profession, sitting on the bench as QB3 was a problem, particularly in his first months on campus.
“There were a lot of tough days. I’m not going to lie,” Manning mentioned in December. “I was never a backup in high school. There are some days when you graduate early, you’re alone in your dorm room and you’re like, ‘It’s another day of fighting for the third-string job.’”
In his first spring recreation, issues had been clearly shifting quick for Manning. By the point he made his school debut in opposition to Texas Tech, flashes of his athletic means and arm expertise had been current. However there have been nonetheless some freshman jitters as he dropped a shotgun snap.
This spring, he confirmed vital progress. Manning dazzled within the Orange and White recreation, trying snug, assured and in command whereas throwing for 355 yards and three touchdowns. He was correct with 4 of his seven incompletions hitting a receiver’s palms.
With Texas’ 2023 backup, Maalik Murphy, having transferred to Duke, Manning is the clear No. 2 quarterback. Sarkisian mentioned because the Longhorns embark on the 2024 season, Manning has taken a giant step ahead in his improvement.
“I’d probably say (he’s) light-years ahead of where he was last year at this time,” Sarkisian mentioned Thursday. “His understanding of what we’re trying to do offensively, the nuances of the scheme, the timing of certain throws, the protections, all of those things. And I just think his overall comfort level and confidence is much higher than it was a year ago at this time.”
On Monday, Sarkisian mentioned he desires to play quite a lot of gamers within the early a part of the season as Texas develops depth for a season it hopes extends into mid-January. “If you’re in the two-deep, you’re playing in the first half,” Sarkisian mentioned.
Does that imply Manning will play within the first half Saturday in opposition to Colorado State?
“We’ll find out,” Sarkisian mentioned.
(Photograph: Tim Warner / Getty Photographs)
