Photo via AP
Here are the highlights of Arch Manning’s media availability on Monday:
— Manning said he was pretty sore after the game, but that’s just part of football, and he feels better now. He said he has great respect for his teammates for battling through adversity. Manning added that playing quarterback means taking hits and getting up like a champ, and he’s simply following the example of others who’ve done it before him.
— Manning said the team has to learn from its mistakes and keep improving. He acknowledged they didn’t play well on Saturday but emphasized growth from the experience. Manning added that the focus now is on getting better and performing well against Oklahoma.
— Manning on the improvements that need to occur on third downs: “Yeah, we’ve got to eliminate the pre-snap penalties and have first and second down wins. Then on third down, you’re living in an easier third-and-four-to-six, third-and-two-to-three situation.”
— Manning said he occasionally makes protection calls at the line of scrimmage. He explained that if he sees something that needs to be adjusted, he’ll step in and fix it.
— Manning’s response when asked about the good, the bad, and the ugly film review: “Yeah, all of it’s fixable. We’ve got a talented group. We’re young, but we’re going to continue to get better each week, and we’re going to be a tough team to beat.”
— Manning said it was valuable watching Quinn Ewers play in past Texas–Oklahoma games, especially seeing him battle through injuries last year and still deliver a win. He recalled Ewers’ 17 straight completions the year before as another example of composure and execution in a big moment. Manning said witnessing those performances taught him a lot about preparation and toughness.
— Manning on being under duress throughout the loss against Florida: “I think once you get into third-down situations and you’re down, you’ve got to throw the ball. It makes it easier for those guys to pass rush. But we’re going to play better than that, and I’m fully confident in that.”
— Manning on his team’s final drive: “Yeah, credit Matt Caldwell for coming in, calling it on the sideline, and getting a completion on the first play. Then we got a penalty there for more yards. I can’t take a sack in that situation. I’ve got to be a situational master there, and we’ve got to have a shot to get the ball up in the end zone at the end of the game. So that was on me.”
— Manning’s response when asked if he was getting rid of the ball fast enough: “Yeah, I think, honestly, a few of those sacks I could avoid – get rid of it, switch protection – but I’ve got to continue to get better each week and get completions, get the ball to our playmakers.”
— Manning said Oklahoma’s defense plays hard, moves all over the field, and is well-coached, making Saturday’s matchup an exciting challenge.
