Arch Manning, a projected top prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft, will enter another season with the spotlight firmly fixed on him in Austin. The Texas Longhorns have built their offense around his development while expectations continue to rise across the program.
This attention has also created questions about whether Manning must carry too much responsibility for Texas’ results. However, Joel Klatt believes the bigger issue sits elsewhere, putting the focus on the pieces around the quarterback.
Joel Klatt Blames Texas’ Supporting Cast as Steve Sarkisian Faces Pressure
Klatt pushed back against the idea that Manning was the main reason Texas struggled in the 2025-26 college football season.
Instead, the Fox Sports analyst pointed toward problems across the offense that limited what the quarterback could accomplish.
“Here’s the other part of last year that no one wants to talk about is that Arch wasn’t the issue at Texas,” Klatt said. “Their offensive line was the issue. Their subpar wide receiver room was the issue. They couldn’t run the football.”
This assessment places greater responsibility on the rest of the Texas offense. Manning dealt with inconsistent protection, limited production from the receiver group, and an offense that struggled to establish its ground game.
Klatt believes those problems need to be addressed before the quarterback receives the bulk of the criticism.
“And so those things have to get fixed,” Klatt added.
Texas has since added more talent around Manning, including wide receiver Cam Coleman and running backs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown. The Longhorns also return Trevor Goosby on the offensive line, giving the unit a chance to provide Manning with better support.
Klatt’s larger concern, however, extends beyond the quarterback. He believes the 2026 season will ultimately determine whether Steve Sarkisian can take Texas beyond its recent level.
“And then this is the other part about Texas that I think everyone is going to be looking at. Sark has to raise his ceiling at Texas,” Klatt added.
This challenge becomes especially clear when Texas hosts Ohio State on Sept. 12. Klatt views the matchup as an early indicator of whether the Longhorns can compete with the nation’s top programs.
“That game against Ohio State is the clearest sign of either the ceiling being exactly where it has been at, or, okay, we can go higher,” Klatt said.
Klatt’s expectations remain high for Texas. He believes the Longhorns must contend for the national championship for the season to meet the program’s standards.
“I think Sark has to compete for and play for the national title for that fan base to feel like this was a successful season,” Klatt said.
With Manning surrounded by improved talent, the pressure may no longer belong to the quarterback alone.
The results will now test the entire Texas program, particularly Sarkisian’s ability to turn that talent into a championship contender.
