After a disappointing 3-2 start to the season, Texas is looking to get back on track in Week 7 when they play No. 6 Oklahoma on Saturday at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Arch Manning and the Longhorns have not lived up to the preseason hype, and the offense has been a key reason why the team went from No.1 in the country to unranked.
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Manning isn’t the sole reason for the offense’s issues. He was arguably the best player on the unit in the Longhorns’ 29-21 loss to Florida in Week 6. The offensive line, running game, and receivers have not done their part to help Manning.
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Manning does shoulder some of the blame. NFL scouts have questioned the sophomore’s play. Some believe Manning has a problematic tendency to hold on to the ball too long, leading to the quarterback taking unnecessary sacks.
Per Chip Brown of 247 Sports, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian addressed Manning’s average time to throw this season at 3.23 seconds. Sarkisian admitted that Manning is holding on to the ball a little longer by design so the offense can push the ball down the field.
“I think it all depends on what you’re trying to do offensively,” Sarkisian said during his SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday. “Obviously, Arch is a guy who can push the ball down the field. We’re trying to – especially early on in the season – we’re trying to play to his strengths and trying to do some things that he does well.
“That requires him holding the ball for half a second or so longer. So, when you do that, it stresses the protection some.”
Manning was sacked six times in the loss to Florida. Per CJ Vogel of On Texas Football, he was pressured 35 times by the Gators defense, the most Texas has given up under Sarkisian.
Sarkisian noted former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers had a much faster time to throw (2.59) while playing a run-pass option scheme. Despite getting the ball out quickly, Ewers and Sarkisian were criticized for a tendency to execute short passes and screens.
While Texas was trying to play to Manning’s strengths early in the season, Sarkisian understands the average time to throw needs to be under three seconds.
“Ideally, your (time to throw) is probably in the mid twos,” Sarkisian said. “That’s usually the average, when it’s all said and done. But I was definitely, obviously aware of that (time to throw) number (of 3.23 seconds for Manning).”
Texas should face significant pressure from Oklahoma on Saturday, as the Sooners are tied with Tennessee for the most sacks (21). Manning will need to distribute the ball quickly against Oklahoma, or he could take some harsh hits in the “Red River Rivalry.”