Arch Manning has shown flashes in his first year as the Texas Longhorns’ full-time starter, but the negatives have outweighed them in public perception (and on the film). Should head coach Steve Sarkisian consider benching his star QB? Is there even a solid option on the bench?
Texas Offense Sputters vs. Kentucky as Arch Manning’s Struggles Continue
The Longhorns are currently 4-2 on the year and in danger of missing the College Football Playoff after reaching the semifinals in back-to-back years with Quinn Ewers at the helm. They enter the two-minute timeout against the Kentucky Wildcats tied 10-10, with Manning completing just 9 of 23 passes for an abysmal 109 yards.
Manning is a large reason for the regression. The redshirt sophomore has completed just 63% of his passes for 1,311 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
The biggest concerns have been his lack of anticipation and a seeming lack of arm strength (which, early in the year, I wrote could be due to an undisclosed injury). A mix of both could be seen against the Wildcats.
Arch Manning’s performance this evening is indefensible. Miss after miss.
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) October 19, 2025
Not only does he identify open WRs (college football open, let alone NFL) late, but he doesn’t trust his arm to rifle it in when he does.
It’s an issue that has plagued him all year, as evidenced by his 3.15 time to throw, which is rather high compared to Ewers’ career average of 2.54. Yes, the situations aren’t exactly one-to-one, but it’s the same coaching staff, and it’s not as if Manning is lacking for talent on the outside.
Is Manning the potential No. 1 NFL Draft prospect many shouted about during the offseason? Not a chance, at least not this cycle.
He has the raw tools coaches dream of, but he’s still learning how to process information at the line of scrimmage efficiently, his arm strength looks significantly weakened compared to last season, and his mechanics are erratic at times.
With all that said, should Sarkisian bench his former No. 1 overall recruit? Not a chance, mainly because the options behind him aren’t all that appetizing. Redshirt senior transfer Matthew Caldwell, who has played for Jacksonville State, Gardner-Webb, and Troy? Redshirt freshman and former four-star recruit Trey Owens?
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True freshman KJ Lacey is the most intriguing of the bench, but a first-year college player facing SEC defenses is the exact opposite of what the Longhorns want to trot out under center.
Texas is stuck with Manning for better or worse, forced to ride out his growing pains and hope the five-star talent eventually catches up to the hype, because the alternative is throwing an even less prepared quarterback into the fire and watching their playoff hopes burn to ashes in real time.