Texas quarterback Arch Manning is taking accountability for his poor performance early in the season.
Speculation about Manning’s struggles ranges from injury to simply not being as talented as his famous relatives.
Coach Steve Sarkisian suggests Manning’s mechanics may need work to prevent him from relying too much on athleticism.
He sat there stoically, at the end of another this can’t be what we’ve been sold moment, and repeated exactly what needed to be said.
“I got to play better. It’s not good enough, as y’all can see,” Texas quarterback Arch Manning said.
And just like that, the quarterback who isn’t playing like a Manning, is accountable and responsible like a Manning.
But maybe we’re going about this the wrong way. Maybe Manning is just not as good as his name.
“A lot of quarterbacks, and a lot of players are hard on themselves,” Manning said. “They want to be great. And it’s frustrating.”
But this isn’t any quarterback. This is Peyton and Eli’s nephew, and Archie’s grandson. This is football royalty, even if he’s not playing like it.
This is the preseason Heisman Trophy front-runner (on name alone) wallowing at 83rd in the nation in quarterback rating, after a heavyweight match against Ohio State and two body-bag games against San Jose State and Texas-El Paso.
This is a bill of goods sold, and arriving in an empty crate. From million dollar baby to dime store markdown.
In three weeks, we’ve gone from Heisman Trophy lock and No.1 overall pick in the NFL draft, to who again in the Texas backup? (It’s Troy transfer Matthew Caldwell).
Just how hilariously crazy is the Arch Madness? After struggling against San Jose State, media covering the Longhorns went with message board gossip and tossed chum at Texas coach Steve Sarkisian that Arch must be injured.
Because, it can’t be that – gulp – he’s just a guy. The only thing more ridiculous was Sarkisian’s response, which was, in a word, creepy.
“I don’t know, I’ve never filmed any of you guys when you’re using the restroom,” Sarkisian said last week. “So I don’t know what faces you make when you’re doing that.”
I’m not exactly sure what that means (or frankly, where it comes from), but I know the faces Texas fans make when watching the offense, so let’s start there.
Maybe Arch isn’t all that — yet, anyway. Maybe he’s just a young player trying to find his way at the most important position on the field.
Maybe he really is the player who, as Steve Spurrier said, couldn’t beat out a seventh-round pick in the draft (Quinn Ewers) ― so what makes anyone think this thing will go smoothly?
Maybe Arch was right in July when he spoke the truth while attending SEC Media Days, where he was swallowed by a media crowd as large as what Tim Tebow experienced prior to his final season of college football.
“I never asked for any of this,” he said then.
But he’s in the middle of it now, like it or not. Conspiracy theories and second-guessing has replaced good, old-fashioned quarterback work and development.
We’ve heard it all less than a month into the season. He has a popgun arm. He runs too much. He has no motivation after earning all of that NIL money.
He’s pampered, he’s not talented enough to play at the highest level of college football. He’s living off his family’s name.
And on, and on and on.
Before we go completely off the deep end, maybe Manning’s mechanics need tweaking. His feet, his frame, his throwing motion.
Little things that become big things when a play has to be made. Those little things then begin a chain reaction of second-guessing, adjusting and relying too much on athleticism.
“And then we’re out of our scheme,” Sarkisian said. “And now we’re just playing athlete football. Sooner or later, that catches up with you.”
Sooner or later, you’re no longer the Heisman frontrunner and media darling, you’re the guy who threw 10 consecutive incompletions against UTEP. You’re the quarterback who has one more tuneup game before the eight-game SEC schedule begins on the road at Florida ― an environment (and a defense) that will rival what Manning faced against Ohio State in the season opener.
And we all know what happened to Uncle Peyton in The Swamp.
“Maybe it slides against UTEP, but it’s not going to win a game against the SEC,” Manning said. “I got to play better.”
Speak it into existence, Arch. Before you really are a Manning in name only.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.