The expectations surrounding Arch Manning have been sky-high since he first stepped onto Texas' campus. As the grandson of Archie Manning and nephew of Peyton and Eli, Arch was anointed as the next great Manning quarterback before he even played a down in college. But now, with Quinn Ewers expected to leave for the NFL after this season, Arch is likely to take over as Texas’ starting quarterback in 2025.
While Texas Longhorns fans are dreaming of a seamless transition, Cooper Manning is urging people to pump the brakes on anointing his son as the next superstar. Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show, Cooper acknowledged that struggles are inevitable, and it’s part of the growth process.
“I think having your children struggle with some things is good,” Cooper said. “Yeah, it's frustrating not to play. Did he love it? No. Was it probably good for him in the long run? Yes. You don’t want your kiddos to come home and be unhappy, but at the same time, sometimes going through a little hardship and some bumps in the road are good."
Manning continued by saying that the media tends to build athletes up just to tear them down when they hit rough patches.
“Arch is going to have plenty more of those,” he added. “These are the real ones, when you get beat this year and have bad games. I mean, you know how they do it in the media—they crown you way too early and then they jump on and kill ya. So he’s getting way too much attention and way too much credit and he’s going to struggle, and they’re going to say, ‘He’s not as good, he’s overrated!’ It’s coming, everybody knows it.”
Despite the massive expectations placed on his shoulders, Arch Manning will be taking his first real steps as a college quarterback in 2025. He may have won both of his starts in 2024, but those came against lesser competition in ULM and Mississippi State. Texas fans expecting him to immediately dominate in the SEC could be in for a reality check.
That doesn’t mean he won’t be great—just that it might take time. The Manning family knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level, and Cooper’s comments show they’re trying to manage the inevitable rollercoaster that comes with being a top-tier quarterback in today’s media landscape.