After a scary injury on the first play of last week’s game, the status of Texas quarterback Arch Manning has been the biggest question in college football. Manning spent the week in concussion protocol after getting hurt during the No. 20 Longhorns’ 45-28 victory against the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Week 9. He was relieved by backup quarterback Matthew Caldwell, who threw the winning touchdown. With a critical SEC showdown against a top-10 opponent looming, all eyes were on a concussion protocol that could decide the team’s fate.
Will Arch Manning Play in the SEC Clash Against Vanderbilt?
Manning was initially listed as questionable in the Longhorns’ injury report on Thursday. Coach Steve Sarkisian provided an update on the quarterback’s status during his weekly media availability.
“I don’t have anything beyond for Arch just because we have to follow the protocol of the days and the reps, but he’s making good progress,” Sarkisian said. That progress appears to have been sufficient. Manning was not listed on the Longhorns’ injury report released on Friday, paving the way for the quarterback to play in the epic SEC clash against the No. 9 Vanderbilt Commodores, led by quarterback Diego Pavia.
Arch Manning is off the Texas injury report. He’s set to start against Vanderbilt https://t.co/ppZi52rSTp
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 1, 2025
However, not everyone agrees that playing him is a straightforward decision. During Friday’s segment of “The Paul Finebaum Show,” former Heisman-winning quarterback Tim Tebow warned Sarkisian against rushing Manning back due to the severity of concussions.
“Well, I think you’re talking about Arch, who’s a really tough player; he’s a physical player. I’m sure that he wants to play and I think it’s really important, especially with any form of concussion, brain injury sometimes, you’ve got to protect the player against himself,” Tebow said. “And, if he’s ready to go, then absolutely, let him go. But, if he’s not and he wants to, then I would need someone to protect me against myself, and do what’s best for the player first rather than what is best just to get another W.”
Despite a few shaky performances this season, Manning has been crucial for Texas, tallying 1,795 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions, while adding 199 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Even with his importance to the team and the high-stakes nature of the opponent, Tebow further broke down the complexity of the situation.
“This isn’t the same as John Mateer and a hand injury. It’s different. You’re talking about the brain, and we’re learning more and more every single year, and just how important it is to not have that second concussion, not having that big hit after it and letting him have the time to recover. You know, I know he’s super tough and he wants to play for this team. But, if it’s close, I think you’ve got to err on the side of protecting the kid.”
Should Manning have a setback and be unable to play against Vanderbilt, Caldwell will step in for him. The backup played for the Troy Trojans last season, where he managed 1,608 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, while adding 47 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
