Texas quarterback Arch Manning is once again one of the preseason favorites to win the much-coveted Heisman Trophy next season, alongside Notre Dame Fighting Irish star CJ Carr. Manning endured a tough start to last season after being tabbed as the favorite to win the prestigious accolade and was even booed by the Texas fans after a poor performance.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian acted aggressively and retooled the Longhorns’ offensive weapons to give Manning the biggest chance to thrive next season.
Why Steve Sarkisian Praises Arch Manning’s Resilience
During an interview with On3 reporter Chris Low on Monday, Sarkisian lauded Manning for dealing with the pressure of constant scrutiny and bouncing back from a poor start to last season.
“Ninety-nine percent of kids would have melted last year if they had to endure what he endured, and all Arch did was get stronger,” Sarkisian said. “The players in that locker room love him. I mean, he’s a guy’s guy. That was always the thing that I was on him about, and I love this about Arch, but I would say, ‘You need to go lead. You’re the leader.’
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“He would say, ‘I just don’t feel like I’ve earned it yet.’ That’s important to him, that he earns everything he gets. But the players were the ones building him up to go lead. They wanted to follow him, and the moment he did, you could see a difference in our team.”
Manning has been in the spotlight since he committed to Texas as the No. 1 quarterback and No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2023 due to his family ties. The Longhorns QB is the grandson of Archie Manning and the nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning, which has greatly increased expectations for his performance.
Sarkisian on Arch Manning: “Ninety-nine percent of kids would have melted last year if they had to endure what he endured & all Arch did was get stronger” https://t.co/VAOE7Ix0NX
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) March 30, 2026
Instead, Manning had to contend with limited minutes as he settled for a backup spot behind Quinn Ewers for two seasons before finally earning the QB1 jersey last season as the Longhorns faced a difficult start to the season.
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Ultimately, Manning bounced back and led Texas on a 7-1 run to finish the season with a 10-3 record and a comprehensive Cheez-It Citrus Bowl win over the Michigan Wolverines.
The Longhorns’ recovery came too late in the season to clinch a berth in the College Football Playoff, but Manning finished the season with 3,163 passing yards, resulting in 26 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, while adding 399 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns to earn an impressive PFSN College QB Impact score of 83.1.
