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Three plays that show how much Arch Manning has grown this season

Andy Staples head shotby: Andy Staples10/16/25andy_staples
Arch Manning, Texas
© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

We spent an entire offseason carefully crafting Arch Manning’s mythology before he’d actually taken over as the Texas starter. Then, as we often do in this era of hyperspeed takes, we instantly buried Manning when he didn’t immediately look like his uncles did as 10-year NFL veterans. 

Now Manning is poised to prove us wrong twice.

He didn’t break records right out of the gate as the starter. He struggled early behind an offensive line that struggled equally, if not more. But in a critical Red River Rivalry game that Texas had to win to stay alive in the hunt for the College Football Playoff, something incredible happened. Manning continued to grow into the job, and he came out of the 23-6 win against Oklahoma looking like a player who can keep evolving into something more like the QB we all envisioned in the offseason. Will that player show up Saturday against Kentucky? We don’t know yet. But last week was quite promising.

The offensive line wasn’t perfect by any stretch in the Cotton Bowl. Still, instead of compounding the mistakes, Manning spent the first half using his mobility to turn potentially negative plays into neutral ones. Then, as the line’s play improved in the second half, Manning helped bring the Texas offense to life. Suddenly, the Longhorns were moving the ball on a defense that had felt impenetrable most of the season.

“I think so much is made about Arch,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said after the game. “It’s like when we don’t win, it’s his fault. But when we do win, everybody praises Arch. We’re a team, and Arch will be the first one to tell you that.”

Hold up, Sark. While Manning certainly took too much of the blame for the early-season struggles of the Texas offense, he probably deserves a healthy dollop of praise here. 

Manning took just one sack, and the offense converted 10 of 17 third downs. He allayed every fear the Texas faithful had going into the game. After watching him take six sacks against Florida, it was easy to worry that he’d be buried beneath a mass of crimson-and-cream. But on Saturday, it was Manning floating away from free rushers and keeping plays alive long enough to throw the ball away or — even better — find an open receiver.

And it happened quickly, even before the Texas offensive line got comfortable blocking the Sooners.

Behold this first-quarter throw to DeAndre Moore…

Earlier this season, Manning might have freaked out when a blitzing safety shoved Texas right guard D.J. Campbell into Manning. And even if Manning had escaped that first disruption, running into left tackle Trevor Goosby might have caused Manning’s eyes to drop and led to a bad throw or a sack. Instead, he kept his eyes downfield and found Moore for a 24-yard gain.

On the first drive of the second half, Manning faced third-and-8 at the Oklahoma 12-yard line. This time, his protection was perfect. But one receiver didn’t run the planned route. Sarkisian said Moore has the freedom to find open grass if he sees a coverage bust, and that’s what he did. The version of Manning who seemed somewhat robotic in the UTEP game might have hesitated. Manning ripped this throw for an easy touchdown that gave Texas a lead it never would relinquish.

The next Texas possession brought another high-leverage third down, and that play was the one that should give Sarkisian and the Longhorns the most confidence that Manning’s early-season struggles were merely growing pains. With the Longhorns leading 10-6, Texas faced third-and-7 on its own 8-yard line.

Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton beats Texas center Cole Hutson with a swim move, and all of a sudden Manning is dropping back into his own end zone with a 292-pound missile proving that the fastest route between two points is a straight line. 

Manning has to slip Halton to avoid a safety (complete disaster). But he can’t run for a first down. Oklahoma’s Marvin Jones Jr. is spying Manning, and if Manning tucks and runs, Texas winds up punting from its own end zone. (Slightly less disastrous, but not ideal.) But Manning has one option. A perfect throw down the right sideline could reach Parker Livingstone. If Manning misses right, the ball goes out of bounds and the Longhorns punt. If Manning misses left, it’s probably a pick-six. 

Manning’s throw hits Livingstone’s hands with just enough space for the receiver to tap his feet in bounds before crossing the sideline. It’s a 29-yard gain, and the still-alive drive nets the Longhorns three more points.

Plus, Manning delivers some psychological damage with a withering look back at Halton after he escaped and dropped a dime.

TIRED: Flexing over a Sam Houston State defender.

WIRED: Casually dismissing a would-be tackler from Oklahoma after turning a safety into a first down.

Are we giving Manning too much credit here? Maybe. But we probably gave him too much blame in the loss to Florida. So it evens out.

The moral of the story is that while Manning may not be the perfect mix of Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and, well, just pick one of Manning’s uncles, he’s got the tools to become a highly effective college quarterback this season if he keeps improving.

The improvement may come in fits and starts rather than in a straight upward trajectory. But that’s what we expect from most college players. We just assumed someone named Manning might skip some steps, and we were wrong about that.

“Look, I wasn’t playing well and I’m going to continue to get better,” Manning told reporters Monday. “But you know, everyone has their own opinion. That’s what’s good about America, everyone gets freedom of speech. It doesn’t bother me.”

It seems like a lot less bothers Manning on the field, too.