Takeaways from Arch Manning's regular-season finale
NEW ORLEANS — On3 was on hand for Arch Manning regular-season finale Friday night Uptown. The Five-Star Plus+ Texas quarterback commit completed 7-of-15 passing for 121 yards and two touchdowns with several more big plays rushing in another thrilling clash with district rival LaPlace (La.) St. Charles.
This On3 analyst has been on the sidelines for more in-person evaluations of Manning than any other national analyst in the country. Let’s dive into how the nation’s No. 1 quarterback played in the regular-season finale.
Setting the stage
New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman jumped out to a 3-0 start averaging north of 43 points per game against a pair of Class 5A teams and one of the state’s best defenses in Reserve (La.) Riverside before the loss of fellow Texas commit, TE Will Randle, who tore his ACL in the Greenies’ late rally over Benton (La.) in Week 3. Randle, the nation’s No. 42 tight end, has been Manning’s top target in the passing game for the past two seasons and his loss forced the offense to adjust on the fly, albeit shorthanded.
After a tough road loss at Many (La.) the week following Randle’s injury, Manning and the Greenies ripped off four consecutive wins as others stepped up at the skill positions. In a highly competitive showdown with St. Charles, Manning attempted 15 passes and carried the ball at least eight times between designed quarterback runs on top of electing to take off when plays broke down. St. Charles is not only disciplined in gap responsibility but also very physical with some speed in their defensive front seven. Coach Wayne Stein wasn’t shy about throwing added blitzers up the middle or off the edge to get it out of Manning’s hands in a hurry.
Manning’s off-platform playmaking gives him edge
Good protection from the Newman line gave Manning enough time to be impactful leading this offense and attacking with both his arm and his legs. After trailing 7-0 at halftime, Manning and the offense woke up in a big way in the second half.
Manning’s first touchdown came on a 30-yard strike splitting two St. Charles defensive backs in the middle and allowing 2024 WR Peter Loop to scamper 20 more yards for to even things up quickly in the second half. This season, Manning has been outstanding with his decision-making as well as his accuracy on deeper passes downfield.
Such was the case with his second touchdown late in the fourth quarter when Manning dropped it over the fully extended arms of an outstretched Comets defender into the hands of 2023 WR Anthony Jones in the back of the end zone. In and outside the pocket, the accuracy never wanes, which in this analyst’s opinion is the most important trait in evaluating this position.
The Five-Star Plus+ Texas commit is masterful going through his progressions and has come through with timely touch passes like that throughout his prep career. This season more than years past, he has found ways to escape pressure and buy extra time in the pocket, reset his feet and place the football anywhere on the field. Manning has been equally as dynamic throwing on the run, which has opened up a whole new dimension of Newman’s offense with No. 16 the runner.
Manning on the move
Manning has had his number called more as a senior to run the rock than in any years past, especially with the absence of Randle making plays in the middle of the field. He has been an absolute difference-maker in that element, too.
There were several designed runs called for Manning where the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder outraces a host of defenders to the perimeter on outside runs. He’s a twitchy runner able to cut, much like he’s shown on the basketball court, and keep defenders off-balance.
In the open field, Manning not only has speed but has outstanding lower-body strength to run through and break tackles. He stiff-armed one defender on one carry and continued to absorb hit after and after running the ball, as well as while standing in and delivering from the pocket.
One of Newman’s best plays in the contest came when Manning, who was effective throwing and running to his right, reversed course and bootlegged around the left side to move the sticks late in the fourth quarter. That first down set up Manning’s 37-yard touchdown to Jones and put the Greenies in a position to make a late stop and get the ball back.
Manning also delivered several throws through contact and even falling backward while still putting the ball in the pass-catcher’s vicinity. This defense was flying to the football, but Manning countered effectively with timely passes and also absorbed several big hits in the process. His off-platform playmaking ability and insight to adjust at the line of scrimmage were noted on several of Newman’s offensive series.
Moving forward
The transition from playing on Friday nights to Saturdays is always a projection. There are several interesting factors for Manning in particular.
The speed of the game from Louisiana 2A high school football to the Big 12 and eventually the SEC is one. With that said, being able to dominate at this stage has translated well in the past. Former first-round picks Derek Stingley Jr. (LSU, Houston Texans) and DeVonta Smith (Alabama, Philadelphia Eagles) are just a few recent examples, not to mention another Newman alum Odell Beckham Jr. (LSU, NFL). Manning has dominated games as much as a quarterback can in this setting with school records in passing yardage, passing touchdowns, total touchdowns and more, none of which you would ever hear about from the quarterback himself.
Manning capped the regular season completing 123-of-198 attempts (62 percent) for 2,034 yards and 32 touchdowns without an interception. His final test came against a defense that’s picked him off each of the last three meetings. It’s becoming routine to know that Manning will be properly studied up for subsequent matchups with an opponent. He was superb in the playoffs a year ago with a stellar effort on the road in the Louisiana Division III state semifinals against Lafayette (La.) Christian last November. This year should open up the door for more marquee moments.
Moving forward, the speed of the game will increase exponentially as Manning heads to Texas. So will the speed of the skill players around Manning out wide on the perimeter and in the backfield. The same goes for the upgrade in his protection up front, and from what we’ve seen from how Manning operates with time is that he can dissect a defense accordingly. His physical skill set, understanding of the position and advanced processing ability should only inspire optimism on The Forty Acres about the future of the Texas offense.