How has Texas QB Arch Manning looked so far in Longhorns spring practice?
How has Texas QB Arch Manning looked so far in Longhorns spring practice?
With Longhorns spring practice underway, all eyes are on new Texas QB Arch Manning as he takes over a team that made it to the college football playoff semifinals last season. Manning started two games last year for Texas, but has primarily been backup to Quinn Ewers during his time in Austin. So how is he doing so far? Reports out of the 40 Acres suggest the celebrity quarterback is handling spring drills very well.
Manning's leadership abilities have already been discussed this spring. On Off the Edge with Cam Jordan, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian praised Manning's leadership, "I think we've got a quarterback in Arch, and I think we got a great leader who does things the right way, but I think he's also surrounded by a really talented football team."
Sark says despite Manning's fame, he stays grounded through his work ethic and teamwork. 'From the day he arrived, there's been a real sense of humility about him,' Sarkisian told KXAN-TV reporter Noah Gross. 'If you didn't know the last name, you didn't know the face and you just looked at the body of work and the teammate that he is … I just continue to see a guy who has taken it and trying to really go for it.'
On the field, writers that cover Texas daily have been impressed with Manning's arm and general demeanor. Anwar Richardson of OrangeBloods.com says Manning looks like a seasoned vet. "Arch Manning looked the part on Day 1. He looked like a veteran," Richardson said. "He looked like it wasn't his first rodeo. And as we know, it's not his first rodeo because he got two starts last season. Throwing the deep ball he looked fantastic. He had an amazing over-the-shoulder pass to Ryan Wingo. He threw the short routes especially well. Had a nice pass I saw to freshman Daylon McCutcheon."
Sarkisian has raved this spring about Manning's maturation process. "All those natural things that a quarterback has to do to instill belief in his teammates, to instill belief in the staff, he's doing it," Sark said. "But more importantly, for him, which I love, he's having fun doing it, and doesn't feel like he's working this. He's playing the game of football. He's being a great teammate."
According to David Eckert of the Austin American-Statesman, Manning has lost a little bit of weight. "Manning, notably, took three pounds off his frame after playing at 225 pounds in 2024, according to an updated roster provided to the media," Eckert said. "He wasn't perfect with his throws Tuesday but showed every bit of the arm talent that has him rated among the top candidates to win the Heisman Trophy in 2025."
Manning will continue to prepare for the upcoming season on the Texas practice fields for another couple weeks this spring as the Longhorns prepare for their Aug. 30 opener at Ohio State in the Horseshoe.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
44 minutes ago
- New York Times
Kyrie Irving to decline player option, sign 3-year, $119 million extension with Mavs: Source
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is declining his $43 million player option and intends to sign a three-year, $119 million contract with the franchise, a source with knowledge of Irving's thinking confirmed to The Athletic. ESPN was the first to report the news. Irving, 33, is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in early March. This story will be updated.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Mavericks star Kyrie Irving reportedly set to sign new 3-year, $119 million contract after declining option
Kyrie Irving declined his player option for next season with the Mavericks on Tuesday night. () Kyrie Irving is sticking with the Dallas Mavericks. Irving declined his $43 million player option for next season on Tuesday night ahead of the deadline, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. He intends to sign a new three-year, $119 million deal with the franchise in the near future, however, which will keep him out of free agency this summer. Advertisement Irving's new deal includes a player option for the 2027-28 season. The new deal will pay Irving about $40 million per season. Though he had the chance to leave, Irving was never expected to make a move away from the Mavericks this summer. The nine-time All-Star is currently recovering from a torn ACL he sustained in the second half of last season. He is expected to make his return at some point next year, though it's unclear when. The deal is the second one that the Mavericks have made this week. They struck a three-year, $54 million deal with center Daniel Gafford on Monday to bolster their frontcourt even more. The two new contracts come ahead of Wednesday's NBA Draft , too, where the Mavericks are expected to select former Duke star Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick . The Mavericks, who were thrust into turmoil in the wake of their decision to trade away star Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the deadline last season, won the draft lottery for the first time in franchise history despite entering it with a less than 2% chance to do so. This post will be updated with more information shortly.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Former college football coach Steve Spurrier appears skeptical of Arch Manning ahead of first year as starter
Print Close By Chantz Martin Published June 24, 2025 It's been just a couple of years since Arch Manning was arguably the most highly sought high school recruit in the nation. He decided on Austin, home of the Texas Longhorns. When Quinn Ewers was selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft, it opened the door for Manning to become Texas' starting quarterback. While Manning did show flashes during his limited playing time over the past couple of seasons, former college football coach Steve Spurrier doesn't appear ready to buy the hype surrounding the young quarterback. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Spurrier, who coached the Florida Gators to a national championship in 1996, questioned why Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian elected to start Ewers over Manning the past couple of seasons considering Manning's much-discussed potential. TOP 10 COLLEGE FOOTBALL QBS IN 2025: CADE KLUBNIK, ARCH MANNING BATTLE FOR NO. 1 "Most people are picking Texas to win the SEC in football," Spurrier said during a recent appearance on "Another Dooley Noted" podcast. "They've got Arch Manning already winning the Heisman, too. My question is, if he was this good, how come they let Quinn Ewers play all the time last year? He was a seventh-round pick? "You only have to ask Coach Sark how come you played that one instead of this one," Spurrier continued. "Hopefully, he'll say, 'Because we thought he was better than that one.' Isn't that why you play one guy and not the other? Unless it was discipline, and there was no discipline or anything." During Manning's time on the bench, he faced questions about whether he would leave Texas for another program that would give him an opportunity to play right away. "It was tough. I mean, it's tough in this age," Manning, 19, noted when he spoke to the media in April about waiting his turn, according to The Athletic. "Sometimes it's worth the wait." Manning doubled down on his commitment to the Longhorns and said he hopes to remain in Austin for the foreseeable future. "But I hope it pays off. There's nowhere else I want to be," Manning said. "I want to be at Texas. I've got friends here. I love this place. So, I want to be the quarterback at the University of Texas." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Manning appeared in 10 games last season, including two he started in place of an injured Ewers. He finished the 2024 season with 939 passing yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions. Manning also showed his athleticism, rushing for 108 yards and four touchdowns. Texas defeated Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff before a thrilling overtime victory over Arizona State in the quarterfinal. The eventual national champion Ohio State Buckeyes eliminated the Longhorns from playoff contention in January. Texas opens the 2025 season against the Buckeyes in Columbus Aug. 30. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Print Close URL
