Arch Manning’s highly anticipated season opener at Ohio Stadium brought an unexpected setback. The Texas Longhorns quarterback saw his NIL valuation take a hit following a 14-7 defeat to Ohio State.
According to On3, Manning’s reported valuation now stands at $6.3 million, which still makes his college football's top earner, but a rather stark decline of nearly $500k. If anything, the fluctuation reflects how closely a player's market value is tied to performance.
Manning endured a mixed outing on Saturday against the nation's top defense. He completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards with a touchdown and interception. However, most of his production came late in the fourth quarter. It has kept critics mixed on his future. Former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron voiced his concern about Manning needing to live up to the hype. It's “set at such a high level to where I don’t know if the kid can ever live up to it.”
McCarron also cited Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s schemes as a factor in Manning’s struggles. On the other hand, ESPN’s Ryan Clark took to social media to say Manning “Is not a generational talent” and suggesting that expectations were misplaced starting in high school.
Manning remains confident he'll get back on track in the coming games. It starts this Saturday against San Jose State (Noon ET/TV:ABC). He has an opportunity to shift the conversation and get past the early stumble.
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