Vince Young does not need another reminder of what a Texas quarterback looks like when the job starts feeling less like a competition and more like ownership. That is exactly why his latest read on Arch Manning has less to do with arm talent than everything happening around it.
Young, who led the Longhorns to the 2005 national championship, believes Manning is positioned for a breakout 2026 season because the quarterback has grown more comfortable, more vocal, and more willing to take control of the room.
Vince Young Sees a Different Version of Arch Manning
“For Arch Manning, I think he’s going to have a really good year because of the way that I’m hearing from the coaching staff about how more mature he is,” Young said in an R.org interview.
Young compared that growth to his own experience at Texas. Once he stopped worrying about what was happening over his shoulder and became comfortable running the offense, he felt his play followed.
That is the part of Manning’s offseason that has caught Young’s attention. He said the junior has embraced a leadership role, and teammates are gravitating towards him, while an upgraded supporting cast gives him fewer reasons to force the issue.
“He’s got weapons over there. He’s got a better O-Line,” Young said. “But he has everything he needs. All he’s got to do is just keep working, keep his head down.”
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Texas did reload around Manning, adding Auburn transfer Cam Coleman at receiver and Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown at running back. The concern up front is left tackle Trevor Goosby, a preseason All-SEC first-team selection who is recovering from a bone bruise in his left knee. His return timetable remains uncertain with Texas hosting Ohio State on Sept. 12.
Manning also has room to turn last year’s late surge into something steadier. He threw for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2025, while his 83.1 PFN QB Impact score ranked 37th nationally.
Arch Manning Went Looking for Advice From Texas Royalty
Young’s optimism is not based only on secondhand feedback from the coaching staff. Manning sought him out during the offseason, along with former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, to ask how he could build chemistry with a roster that changed around him.
Young’s advice was refreshingly simple: throw together, train together, hang out together and, if necessary, go bowling together.
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“Without the chemistry, you can’t go out there if you don’t know who the guy is,” Young said. “I really feel like he did that in the offseason.”
Young also pointed to Texas’ bigger pressure points: third down, red-zone execution, special teams, and penalties. If those areas improve, he believes the Longhorns will be hard to beat.
