Tim Tebow believes Arch Manning has an 'extremely high floor' as Texas starting QB

If there’s anybody who understands what Arch Manning is going through entering his first season as Texas‘ starting quarterback, it’s Tim Tebow. It’s why the former Florida QB-turned-SEC Network analyst believes the sky is the limit for the Longhorns’ new QB1 this season.

The Arch Manning era in the historic pantheon of Texas quarterbacks will formally kick off at noon ET Saturday in Columbus. The top-ranked Longhorns take on No. 3 Ohio State, the reigning College Football Playoff national champions, in a rematch of last year’s CFP semifinal that went the Buckeyes’ way.

And for Tebow, a former Heisman Trophy- and national championship-winning quarterback himself, all the wild preseason hype around Manning is well deserved. That is based on his “extremely high floor” — meaning he’s already starting on an elevated playing field coming from the first family of football.

“I’m excited. I really think he has an extremely high floor. I think it’s one of the highest floors because he can do everything. And I’m excited to see where that ceiling is because this is someone that since he first put on a helmet has had to deal with pressure because he’s a Manning,” Tebow said Friday afternoon on the SEC Network’s The Paul Finebaum Show. “And then, with all of the hype, it’s just compounded. But I think he’ s handled it extremely well. His first couple of years at Texas, he said the right things, he’s done the right things. He’s stepped in and played really well when he’s gotten the opportunity, but he also does everything at least well.

Tim Tebow believes Arch Manning ‘could be really good to great’ as Texas starting QB

“He runs the football, and he can run physically; he can run for speed. He throws it accurately, he’s got a strong arm – it’s probably not the strongest in the country – but he’s someone that there’s nothing, when you look at his skill set, that I don’t think he does well. Now we’ll see how he’s able to lead with all the pressure, but he’s someone that I believe could be really good to great.”

Tebow also expects to see fifth-year Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian to implement new “wrinkles” into the Longhorns’ offensive game plan that make use of Manning’s natural athleticism — a trait he famously attributed to his grandfather, former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning.

“I also love the marriage of Arch and Steve Sarkisian. I’m really excited to see what wrinkles they have because he’s a little bit of a different style than what Quinn (Ewers) was last year,” Tebow added. “I think you’re going to see some changes in the offense. You’ll see more on third-and-short, giving Arch the ability to use his legs. I think you’ll see a little more read in there, not a lot because you don’t want to get him hurt, but just enough to keep the defense off balance because he adds a different element into this game.”

However Saturday’s game unfolds, the eyes of the college football world will continue to be squarely focused on the Texas QB1 in what many expect will be his coming out party as the next great Manning.