Tim Tebow sends clear message to Texas Longhorns about Arch Manning

Jeff Hauser

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Tim Tebow sends clear message to Texas Longhorns about Arch Manning image

ESPN analyst and former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow has a message for the Texas Longhorns before the Red River Rivalry with Oklahoma. It's time to protect your quarterback. 

During Friday's Paul Finebaum Show, Tebow said the Longhorns’ offensive line must shoulder more responsibility following last week’s 29-21 loss to Florida, in which Manning was sacked six times and pressured on more than half of his dropbacks.

“I think one of the things that we saw last week was a resilience and toughness,” Tebow said. "(Manning) got hit a bunch. If we’re gonna focus on something, I think the start should be the offensive line. They have to protect him. You have to be able to give him time.”

Manning kept his composure under relentless pressure and continued to battle despite taking repeated hits. “They totally took the game over," Tebow said. "I don’t put all of that on Arch. I put a lot of that on the offensive line."

The line had allowed only three sacks in the season’s first four games, but its collapse against Florida exposed major flaws ahead of Saturday’s Red River Rivalry matchup with Oklahoma. That’s a troubling sign for Texas. 

According to ESPN Insights, Oklahoma leads the FBS in sack rate (15%) and ranks third in pressure rate (53%), making the Sooners one of the most disruptive defenses in the nation. Manning has completed just 46% of his passes under pressure with a 33 Total QBR in such situations.

If the Longhorns can’t keep Manning upright, their offense may continue to sputter and so will their hopes of a College Football Playoff berth. Texas has zero room for error from here on out.

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Jeff Hauser

Jeff Hauser is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has over twenty years of experience and is a two-time Emmy Award winner, Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award voter. Among the events he has covered are the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, World Series, World Cup, and WBC Boxing. Hauser is a regular guest on FOX Sports and ESPN Radio. He previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, SB Nation and Athlon Sports.