Arch Manning reveals key to his Texas football improvement: 'More fun.'
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Arch Manning didn’t have fun the first half of last season. His words.
He played ticked off.
The result? Not good.
Manning wobbled out of the gates in his first season as the Texas starting quarterback. The critiques and hot takes came from all corners.
He went from being the best college quarterback since Tim Tebow to college football’s first-ever flop — that’s how the New York Times described it, in a piece worthy of the Hyperbole Hall of Fame — in a matter of weeks.
Penthouse to outhouse at warp speed.
Through five games, Texas had two losses. Manning’s performance, while not terrible, was nowhere near what we’d expected from a blue-chipper with the most famous surname in college football.
Someone with Manning’s pedigree surely had undergone countless media trainings and mental coaching to try prepare him for the pressure, and he probably also picked up on a few family tricks via osmosis, but I’m not sure any amount of prep work could have fully prepared him for the hurricane of scrutiny he faced.
Arch Manning: ‘I could have had more fun.’
These guys are getting paid now, so criticism comes with the territory — now more than ever. And, still, few college athletes will ever be under the magnifying glass to the same extent Manning was in 2025.
Manning, while talking to reporters this week at Texas, gave a frank self-assessment of his 2025 performance and how it affected him.
“I think I could have had more fun. The first half of the season, I was (ticked off),” Manning told reporters. “I wasn’t playing well, and it wasn’t fun for me.”
So, Manning opted for a midseason pivot in mentality that can be summed up in two words.
Screw it.
Again, his words.
Whatever works.
Arch Manning enters this season with scars, lessons
The second half of the season was not without hiccup.
He struggled against Kentucky. Texas pulled it out.
He struggled against Georgia. The Longhorns got trounced.
He didn’t play great against Texas A&M. The Longhorns prevailed.
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Overall, though, Manning made gains in the second half of the season. He finished with a particularly strong performance against Michigan in the Citrus Bowl.
So, was his mentality change the key, or did he just improve as he gained more experience?
The answer may not matter, so long as the progress continues.
No matter how much he develops, one man can only do so much. For Texas to pursue a national championship, Manning will need sturdier pass protection and more ground support. Texas gave Manning another weapon by adding Auburn transfer Cam Coleman, a star wide receiver, to pair with Ryan Wingo, the team’s top wide receiver last season.
Week 2 will be a progress report for Manning. The Longhorns will host Ohio State. Manning played poorly for most of the game in a 14-7 loss to Ohio State in last season’s opener.
That’s probably part of what ticked him off.
“You obviously take those (scars) with you and think about them,” Manning told reporters. “I’m glad we get another shot at them this year.”
Just remember to have some fun out there in the rematch.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppme
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arch Manning says Texas season ‘wasn’t fun,’ until he changed outlook
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