With the last name Manning, the spotlight is always on, and for Arch Manning, that has been the case since he stepped foot on the campus of the University of Texas. This season, being named the sole starter, the light became even brighter. Manning, before taking a snap as the starter, was being mentioned as a Heisman Trophy candidate, the future top pick in the NFL draft, and the next elite quarterback in college football, but reality hit.
Manning was not able to ease his way into the season and have an easy victory against a no-name opponent. For Manning and the Longhorns, they started the season off against a No. 1 ranked Ohio State in a rematch from last year’s College Football Playoff semifinal. While fans thought Manning would showcase his talent, this was not the case. It would be a preview that Manning is still very much a work in progress. The game against Ohio State would show Manning’s inexperience, his accuracy issues, inability to finish in the red zone, and lack of command of the offense. It was very much a game that was moving faster than what Manning could process. Texas ended up losing 14-7 thanks to a strong defensive performance. The first performance as the true starter left fans scratching their heads.
Manning was thrown to the fire, to say the least, in the opening game before ever getting a chance to settle in, but when facing adversity, he would respond, and he would show his growth through the season. With solid performances against San Jose State, where he threw for four touchdowns, and Sam Houston, when he threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, he would show flashes of the star player that he could be.
But then a setback would hit.
In his struggles, his mechanics would fail him, and inconsistency would take over in games against UTEP, where he was booed after completing 44.0 percent of his passes. Against Kentucky, he completed 44.4 percent of his passes, and he just could not find a rhythm. The struggles showed as he and Texas would have to battle through his growing pains.
But as the season progressed, so did the confidence in Manning, and he didn't let the noise get the best of him. In the 23-6 win over No. 6 Oklahoma, Manning finished the game 21 for 27 for 166 yards and one touchdown. While he didn’t blow people away with stats, he controlled the game, and he controlled it where it is most important: on third down, converting 11-of-12 for 117 yards and a touchdown, converting eight times through the air. It was another game against a top-tier defense where Manning was able to gain confidence and his team’s trust that he can convert when it mattered most. And that is where things really began to click for Manning.
Inconsistency was the theme in the early part of the season, but the one thing that he never lost was confidence. As the season progressed, he was able to settle in, his accuracy improved, his mechanics got better, and the game slowed down. He would have back-to-back 300-yard performances and back-to-back weeks of throwing for three touchdowns in wins against Mississippi State and No. 9 Vanderbilt. This was not just improvement; this was Manning finding his place.
Throughout the season, he showed that not only can he be effective in the air but on the ground as well, whether it be a designed run against No. 3 Texas A&M where Manning was able to avoid a tackle and then run 35 yards for a touchdown and to get another win over a top-ranked opponent, taking down in-state rival 27-17. It was Manning’s eighth rushing touchdown of the season. Slow and steady, Manning is becoming the quarterback that Texas thought they were getting.
Arch Manning’s season had its fair share of bumps and bruises, but in the end, he showed that he belongs. He battled inconsistency and adversity but has come out more confident and capable. Next year, Manning might reach those lofty expectations he had early this season, but to get there, he must be consistent.
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