Texas quarterback Arch Manning recovered from a difficult start to the season to finish as one of the most in-form players in college football. After receiving plenty of preseason Heisman Trophy hype, Manning and the Longhorns’ offense struggled to gel, leaving them vulnerable to opposing defenses.
Analyst Links Arch Manning’s Success to New Offensive Weapon Cam Coleman
Coach Steve Sarkisian dipped into the transfer portal aggressively and recruited one of the most highly sought-after wide receivers, the $2.9 million NIL-valued Cam Coleman from the Auburn Tigers.
During Thursday’s segment of “The Bunch Formation” podcast, analyst Chris Vannini lavished praise on Coleman’s ability while discussing the wide receiver’s potential to unlock Manning’s full offensive potential.
“Cam Coleman in Texas for me,” Vannini said. “Arch did not have the No. 1 guy last year that they did in Ryan Wingo, it didn’t turn out to be that. Cam Coleman had a good year without much help. This is a stud wide receiver. If not Jeremiah Smith, we’re talking about Cam Coleman a lot more.
“Arch is gonna have the guy that’s gonna take the top off the defense and that’s gonna open up everything for him and all the other pieces. I think Arch has a big year because Cam Coleman has a big year. The biggest thing that they needed was to have a guy that could really be that No. 1 guy and they got him.”
Wingo, who is a former five-star recruit and was in his second season at Texas, finished last season with 834 yards on 54 receptions, resulting in seven touchdowns for the Longhorns.
Cam Coleman Tabbed To Be a First-Round Pick
During an appearance on this week’s “On Texas Football” show, analyst Brooks Austin weighed in on the intangibles that make Coleman one of the best wide receivers in college football and a great target for Manning next season.
“We slap five stars on guys because we expect them to be first-round draft picks, and I think Cam Coleman has every bit of the abilities to be a first-round draft pick,” Austin said. “I think he’s one of the best wide receivers in college football. All that being said, I don’t know how good a route runner he is.
“I don’t know how much of a separator he is, but do you have to be? Have you seen this guy with the ball in the air? That’s all that really matters. When the ball’s in the air, he goes and gets it. Everybody uses the old 50/50 ball idiom. It’s not what that is with this kid. I call it an 80/20 situation if the QB puts the ball anywhere relative to his frame.”
Coleman registered 708 receiving yards on 56 receptions, resulting in five touchdowns in a dysfunctional Auburn team last season, earning a PFSN College Wide Receiver Impact score of 75.2.
