The Arch Manning era is officially set to begin in Austin—but not everyone’s convinced it’s going to be smooth sailing.
One of college football’s most vocal personalities, Paul Finebaum, is already stirring the pot with a few pointed comments that have Texas fans talking.
During a conversation on The Paul Finebaum Show, the SEC Network host didn’t hold back when discussing former Longhorns starter Quinn Ewers.
“The guy that was there last year really didn’t impress me,” Finebaum said. “He didn’t impress anyone.”
While the comment was clearly aimed at Ewers, the implication for Arch Manning is hard to ignore: if Finebaum wasn’t wowed by the previous starter, the pressure on the next guy is officially on and, honestly, it's fair to say that Ewers wasn't impressive and that Manning still never supplanted him for the starting quarterback role.
A Legendary Name Meets Sky-High Expectations
Arch Manning hasn’t taken many meaningful snaps at Texas yet, but that hasn’t stopped fans—and critics—from forming early expectations. Being the grandson of Archie and the nephew of Peyton and Eli comes with a built-in spotlight. But the college football world isn’t known for its patience, and with Ewers now off to the NFL, the microscope on Arch gets even tighter.
It’s worth noting that Ewers wasn’t nearly as bad as some are making him out to be statistically. He threw for over 9,000 yards and 68 touchdowns, led Texas to back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances, and brought home the program’s first regular-season conference title since 2009.
Still, there’s a feeling among some analysts—Finebaum included—that Ewers never quite elevated the Longhorns to elite status. In addition, it was clear last season that Ewers was injured and, still, they didn't move to Manning.
That says something that shouldn't be ignored and Finebaum might be on to something.