Steve Sarkisian issues warning about Arch Manning: 'He's a very dangerous player'
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian warned the SEC about second-year starting quarterback Arch Manning on Thursday, July 23.
“I think right now he’s a very dangerous player,” Sarkisian said at SEC Media Days. “Because he learned a lot from last season.”
Manning, who entered last season with extremely lofty expectations thanks to being the latest quarterback from the prestigious Manning family, had a rollercoaster season with the Longhorns, struggling early before hitting his stride in Texas’ final eight games.
The former five-star recruit and No. 1 overall player nationally out of high school finished the year with 3,163 passing yards and 26 touchdowns to seven interceptions, along with 399 rushing yards and 10 scores. Nineteen of his 36 total touchdowns came in Texas’ final six games.
He struggled in early-season losses to Ohio State and Florida, and also drew criticism for a poor performance against UTEP, against whom he completed only 11-of-25 passes in Week 3.
The redshirt junior said he has learned a lot about himself since then, and is hoping to carry those lessons into a season where Texas has national championship hopes.
“I’ve become more present, obviously matured,” Manning said of his offseason. “Going through those rough times, (I) learned a lot about myself. I’ve become a better man because of it and hopefully a better player. Don’t want to repeat that game.”
QB1 🤘@ArchManningpic.twitter.com/VuDD0U5pal
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) July 23, 2026
Manning received Heisman Trophy and No. 1 overall pick buzz last offseason, despite having two college starts under his belt. Unfair or not, he didn’t live up to those towering forecasts.
Sarkisian said only Manning was uniquely equipped to handle the criticism he was handed from last season. In fact, the sixth-year Texas coach also said he has seen a better version of Manning heading into the 2026 season because of it.
“Arch Manning a year ago wasn’t on social media or television saying he was going to be the No. 1 pick in the draft,” Sarkisian said. “He wasn’t on television saying he was going to win the Heisman Trophy. All he did was work really hard. All he did was try to be the best teammate he could be. And then, we had some failures as a team, and he didn’t play the way he was capable of playing.
“And then those same people that were saying that about him, wanted to criticize and demean him almost for letting them down because he didn’t live up to what they thought he was going to be. Very interesting concept there. And the way of what he got put through probably would’ve melted or destroyed 99% of people in his shoes.
“All he did was stay consistent and true to who he was: Continued to work hard, continue to be a great teammate and tried to get better, and he did.”
Manning has fewer excuses, if any, heading into the season, especially after Texas bolstered its offense with highly sought-after transfers Cam Coleman (Auburn), Hollywood Smothers (North Carolina State) and Raleek Brown (Arizona State), along with returnees Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley V.
He won’t have much time to put the doubters to the wayside, either, as Texas opens the season again against Ohio State, this time at home. Sarkisian, though, thinks Manning is ready to change the narrative after navigating an up-and-down first season as the full-time starter.
“There’s always going to be outside opinions of that guy, and that comes with the territory, he understands that,” Sarkisian said. “But I think he learned a lot about himself and dealing with adversity.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steve Sarkisian issues warning about Arch Manning: 'He's a very dangerous player'
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos