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Everybody had a take on Arch Manning: What about now?

by: RT Young09/21/25
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© Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn’t weigh in on Arch Manning and the Texas offense this past week. From Stephen A. Smith to Donald Trump to Greta Thunberg, everyone and their dog seemed to have a take. Okay, only one of those three is real. But would you honestly have been surprised if somewhere out there a “Manning’s incompletions are bad for the ozone layer” headline existed?

The critiques were everywhere: Manning wasn’t hitting open receivers, his play was inconsistent, and Texas looked wobbly through three games. He and Ryan Wingo looked like they needed couples counseling. Now that Manning threw the ball well in a 55-0 win over Sam Houston State, will he get the same amount of praise for bouncing back?

Probably not. And that’s okay.

Because this stretch has never been about the opponent. Through a quarter of the season, the offense’s timing was off, receivers weren’t hit in stride and Manning looked uncomfortable. Like he was trying to do too much on practically every play, regardless of competition. Last week’s struggles weren’t about UTEP—they were about Manning “pressing.”

So tonight, the biggest challenge wasn’t the Bearkats. It was Manning and Steve Sarkisian against themselves. And this time, they passed. Manning went 18-of-21, threw two touchdowns to Wingo, and found several other receivers in stride. The long crossing route to DeAndre Moore Jr.—a throw he has missed all year—was finally completed.

After the UTEP game, Manning’s body language told the story of a quarterback who felt beaten down. He admitted he “wouldn’t sleep” because of how frustrated he was with himself. The pressure wasn’t from talking heads or celebrity voices being disappointed, but from his own expectations.

That’s why, when he scored his first touchdown tonight and unleashed a barrage of trash talk at a Bearkat defender, it felt like a pressure valve had finally been released. And maybe he’ll finally get some sleep.

Everybody had a take last week. Let’s see who decides to chime in now.

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