Arch Manning’s first season as Texas’ starting quarterback hasn’t gone as expected so far. In his debut, he struggled on the road against the defending national champions, a struggle many expected from a first-time starter in that environment.
The bigger concern came last weekend. Manning only completed 11 of his 25 passes for a touchdown and an interception in a shaky 27-10 win over UTEP. The Longhorns offense struggled throughout the game, which raised many questions about Manning’s glaring weaknesses, sparking a national conversation about his early struggles.
As On3 noted, Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd, however, believes adversity could be the best thing for the former No. 1 recruit:
“I think (for) Arch Manning, actually, this is the greatest thing that ever happened to him,” FS1’s Colin Cowherd said during a segment with Joel Klatt on Wednesday’s episode of The Herd. “It’s real turbulence. Texas football, receivers are hurt, on his third-string running back, new O-line, his mechanics are weird. I’m going to argue this is essential if you’re going to make it on Sundays.”
Cowherd emphasized the importance of facing adversity.
“He’s never had turbulence,” Cowherd said. “He grew up with money, he grew up with fame, he goes to Texas. This turbulence is important. It’s not a coincidence that all these guys had to overcome stuff.”
Arch Manning’s Path to Starting QB: Talent, Legacy, and Pressure
Arch Manning is now in his third season at Texas, but it is his first season as the Longhorns starting quarterback.
For his first two years in Austin, Manning sat behind Quinn Ewers, who led Texas to the College Football Playoff semifinals in back-to-back seasons. Many believed that the addition of Arch at the helm is what the Longhorns needed to take that next step.
Those expectations, combined with Texas No. 1 preseason ranking and his legendary family connections, have put the weight of the world on Manning’s shoulders before he even took a snap as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback.
What’s next for Arch and the Longhorns?
Despite their early season struggles, Texas is still 2-1, with their only loss coming against the defending national champions. After a tune-up game against Sam Houston State this Saturday, the Longhorns have eight consecutive SEC matchups, including home games against No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 20 Vanderbilt, No. 10 Texas A&M and a road game against No. 5 Georgia.
The Longhorns still control their own destiny.
As for Arch, the biggest thing will be making steady improvements throughout the season. While he’ll have the option to declare for the NFL Draft at the end of the season, the likelihood of returning to Austin for another season is now much higher than it appeared just a few weeks ago.
As Colin Cowherd mentioned, if Manning is able to face adversity and grow from his early season struggles, it just might be the best thing to have happened to the former five star.
Another year at the college level, facing pressure, refining his mechanics, and learning from his early career mistakes, may end being the biggest blessing in disguise down the line.