Arch Manning’s debut in the 2025 season immediately pushed Texas into the College Football Playoff conversation. Steve Sarkisian’s program couldn’t live up to the hype due to struggles in early games, but Manning doesn’t solely deserve criticism for that failure.
Analyst Blasts Texas for Failing Arch Manning at Crucial Moment
In Monday’s episode of “The Joel Klatt Show,” analyst Joel Klatt broke down the issues Texas faced last season and explained why too much responsibility was placed on Manning.
“Part of the problem with Texas last year is that everything was on Arch’s shoulders,” Klatt said.
“Everyone just thought, ‘Oh, he didn’t play well.’ He actually played fine in the back half of the year. In the last six games, he was actually excellent. They did not protect him in games like the Georgia game. You can’t protect him with your offensive line if you can’t run the football with your running backs. He can’t be the one just carrying the run game, obviously.”
Manning was sacked 3 times for a loss of 16 yards in the Georgia game and faced constant pressure. Without a dependable rushing attack, Texas became heavily reliant on the passing game, making the offense predictable and allowing opposing defenses to key in on Manning. However, Sarkisian is at his best when he runs it well, and he will have to do that with a rebuilt running back room in 2026.
Sarkisian addressed the need for explosive weapons through the transfer portal by acquiring Hollywood Smothers from North Carolina State, who rushed for 939 yards and 6 touchdowns while grabbing 37 receptions for another 189 yards last season. He was named All-ACC First Team and finished the season with a 79.2 score in the PFSN College Football RB Impact Metric.
Texas also secured Raleek Brown from Arizona State, who had a breakout season in 2025, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors. He recorded 1,141 rushing yards last season and secured an 86.6 score in the RBi. With Smothers and Brown now added to the offense, Texas is hoping the revamped backfield can take pressure off Manning and help restore the offensive identity Sarkisian prefers.
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“The backs have got to do something for Texas,” Klatt said. “If they do, if they get back to being able to run the football like Sark normally runs the football, then this is a team that can compete for the SEC title. There’s no doubt. A good running game impacts Arch, and it also impacts the defense.”
The 2026 season is still months away, but Manning has already positioned himself as both a Heisman favorite and a potential No. 1 overall NFL draft prospect for 2027. However, Texas’ potential may ultimately depend on how quickly Manning develops chemistry with his new supporting cast and whether the Longhorns can finally establish the balanced offense Sarkisian has been searching for.
