Dan Orlovsky: Arch Manning 'has to be the best quarterback' amid high expectations for Texas

Dan Orlovsky recognizes Arch Manning has a ton of pressure on him entering the 2025 season. He’s the unquestioned starting quarterback at Texas, with multiple seasons of hype behind his arrival. As championship-level expectations of the Longhorns continue to rise, there’s no room for error.

“(Arch Manning) absolutely has to be the best quarterback, because they are the favorite in Texas to win the national championship,” Orlovsky proclaimed, via Get Up on Monday. “No. 2, the best quarterback in the country that no one talks about is in Columbia, South Carolina. LaNorris Sellers. I would agree that probably the best quarterback in the country now, right now, is Garrett Nussmeier.

“Arch Manning is more than likely going to be awesome, but we don’t know about Arch Manning. I’ve seen Nuss, late in games, 3rd-and-9, have to make a big throw and get it done. I watched the LaNorris Sellers finish with four straight wins for South Carolina in the SEC, and go for over 300 yards a game.

“I think Arch has got this expectation, and there’s probably no quarterback in the country under more pressure than Arch Manning. But there are five or six other quarterbacks that are much more proven, at least right now in college football.”

Manning may not be on the level of Sellers or Nussmeier entering 2025, but Orlovsky believes there’s hope that he can ascend. There won’t be much patience to go around though. Texas is looking for a national title this season, and they start their journey with a Week 1 showdown against Ohio State this year.

In 2024, Manning showed off some serious promise. He started two games while Quinn Ewers was out with an injury, completing 41-of-his-60 pass attempts for 583 yards and four touchdowns while only throwing two interceptions. He also recorded 29 rushing yards and a touchdown.

On the other hand, it’s worth noting Manning’s two starts were against UL-Monroe and Mississippi State. The former five-star prospect never had a full game against top competition to show what he’s capable of, and that’s added a bit of pause from analysts and fans alike.

Additionally, carrying the Manning name is something the quarterback will be tasked with, aside from the pressure of leading a premier program like Texas. With an illustrious history of talent in his family, he’s primed to be the next in line for greatness. That could be a lot to handle for any singular player.

Dan Orlovsky’s concerns are real. He has a right to wonder what the future holds for Arch Manning. We won’t have to wait long to find out whether or not the Texas star is built for the job though, as he’ll be challenged early and often during his first season as a starting quarterback in college football.