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I think we can safely look back at the expectations placed on Arch Manning before last season and admit they were more unrealistic than expecting a smooth commute on I-35. Name a time, it does not matter.
Some Longhorn observers had Manning penciled into the Heisman ceremony before he had even taken a meaningful snap. Others assumed his first year as Texas’ starting quarterback would end with confetti and a national championship trophy. Heck, even Paul Finebaum hopped on the Manning hype train, which should have been everyone’s cue to grab their luggage and exit at the next stop. When Finebaum is driving the bandwagon, you at least check the brakes (Paul, I’m just messing with you).
Reality arrived right on schedule.
Manning proved that no quarterback, not even one with that last name, is above the learning curve. The same crowd that spent two years nitpicking every throw, decision, and strand of hair on Quinn Ewers suddenly got a refresher course in Quarterback Development 101. It turns out five-star rankings do not cancel out growing pains.
There were moments early when it got bumpy enough that Texas asked Michael Taaffe to join Manning at press conferences, a subtle way of putting a teammate between the quarterback and the firing squad. The Athletic even floated the silly question of whether Manning was “college football’s first flop.” That is how loud the noise became.
Then came Mississippi State in game eight. That was the pivot. The game slowed down. The confidence showed up. The talent stopped flashing and started sustaining. Yes, Georgia still happened, and if we are being honest, that one had more to do with the matchup than the quarterback. By season’s end, Manning was the MVP of the Citrus Bowl after torching Michigan for 376 total yards and four touchdowns, including a 60-yard sprint that felt like the exhale Texas fans had been holding all year. Not a bad way to close the freshman chapter.
And now?
Here we go again.
The expectations are back, only louder. Finebaum is predicting a 2026 Heisman Trophy and the No. 1 overall pick in 2027. ON3’s Ari Wasserman has Manning as the No. 1 quarterback in the country. The hype machine is humming like it never learned its lesson. Just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in.
The difference this time? The expectations actually feel earned.
Typically, when all things are equal in college football, the deciding factor is the quarterback. Sure, there are exceptions, a generational defense here, a historic run game there. But most of us have seen it. Some of you played against that one high school quarterback who dragged an average roster to greatness. We have seen college football quarterbacks carry a team on their backs, see Diego Pavia.
We know what Manning can do now. We have seen the floor. We have seen the ceiling.
The real question is not whether he is good.
It is this:
How does Arch Manning stack up against every quarterback Texas will face this season?
Manning vs. Everybody.
Click here to read a detailed analysis (premium content):
https://forums.orangebloods.com/index.php?threads/the-sunday-pulpit-via-loewy-law-firm-arch-manning-vs-everybody.447368/
