Nobody is more popular than the backup QB, but now he is no longer the backup and the pressure in 2025 is going to be immense for Arch Manning.
Arch is no stranger to pressure as the last name Manning carries pressure in itself as he will always be compared to his two uncles and grandfather. There are plenty of Texas fans who feel if he had been the quarterback last year over Quinn Ewers that Texas may have won the national championship. To be fair to Ewers, he did take Texas to two straight semifinal appearances and were within inches of possibly playing in two straight title games.
Being so close the last two years brings even bigger expectations for Manning and the Longhorns. What happens if Texas doesn't win the SEC or a national championship while Arch is under center? Will there be more patience with him than there was for Quinn?
How will he rebound after a costly interception and how will the team rally around Arch? Obviously there isn't much of a tougher place to begin as the man than the Horseshoe in Columbus against the defending champs. Manning seems to have the right focus to be great not worrying about NIL until he became the starter or worried about the EA Sports College Football game cover.
Steve Sarkisian as we all know is an offensive mastermind and maybe Manning is the quarterback that will put him over the top with bringing the Longhorns their first national championship since 2005. The second year conference schedule in the SEC is going to be a little tougher, with trips to the Swamp and Athens as well as the Sooners who are expected to be much better with the addition of top transfer John Mateer to their quarterback room. The best thing going for him is his in game experience. He has already seen the SEC speed and nothing is more important than in-game experience.
There seems to be a sense that Arch is going to be the guy to get the Longhorns over the top. There is the sense that some of the intangibles that Quinn may have been missing in tight game situations, is what Manning has. They feel Manning isn't going to lose to Georgia when they are without their starting quarterback, or have the untimely fumble against Ohio State which put the nail in their coffin in Jerry's World back in January. Arch may end up being the most successful Manning not only due to his arm but he is a lot more mobile than either of his uncles. I can't wait to see how he responds to the pressure of his name, being the guy in Austin, and who many are already crowing as the first quarterback off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft.