When Steve Sarkisian came to the Texas Longhorns, the team wasn’t the conference contender that it currently is. The head coach entered a team that was tattered and in dire need of revival. There were just eight scholarship OLs at the time, and the positional imbalance was a significant concern. For instance, there were 18 wide receivers on the roster. Sarkisian started recruiting, produced top-five classes for three consecutive years, and led the team to playoff qualification twice in a row. Sarkisian wasn’t just a coach in Texas; he was a revolutionary. This is the same revolution that has produced one of the most coveted quarterbacks in college football today.
Arch Manning came with a glamorous surname and the ability to be a conqueror in Texas. The young prodigy embodies the fulfillment of a prophecy. To finally lead the Longhorns to their first national title win since 2005. The young guy showed the same against Mississippi State, where he notched up 324 yards at a stellar 83.9% completion rate. Moreover, he did it against UTSA, too, passing for 4 touchdowns and earning a QB rating of 99.9. That’s incredible for a young kid, right?
But imagine Arch Manning starts to deliver those passes. Deep balls, short balls, balls that dip and swerve before effortlessly going into a receiver’s hand at the end zone. But there is no one to back these passes up with those touchdowns. What will happen then? Steve Sarkisian showed concern about a similar scenario in a recent interview with ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
“I would say the one room that we probably have our biggest question mark in is the tight-end room.” Sarkisian’s concern is quite apt, too. The team, however, has Jordan Washington, who will be a starter, and Spencer Shannon acting as his deputy. Still, the tight end room is a slight concern for the head coach. Neither of these players has seen a single snap and is inexperienced. In terms of true freshman talent, the team has 4-star Nick Townsend and 3-star Emaree Winston; both of those also will not see snaps immediately. Then, Steve Sarkisian addressed other concerns regarding Arch Manning.
Sep 7, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian on the sideline in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The head coach, when asked if the young QB’s missing some ‘blitz pickups’ may be a concern. The head coach didn’t look worried. But still, he challenged Arch Manning. “He gets hit in the back and things like that. Like he’s learning. And yeah, there’s probably going to be some grace needed. Unfortunately, it’s probably not going to be granted outside of our building.” Sarkisian then highlighted the support Arch Manning would get in the team despite his shortcomings. “Inside our building, I think the support that he’s going to get is going to be one that he’ll definitely appreciate.”
Well, blitz pickups might look like a slight problem for the young QB in some games. However, we have also seen Manning doing well in many similar situations. The blitz pressure is a concern, as we saw in the ULM game, where he dropped two interceptions and came out with just a 51.7% completion rate. But there’s still so much time for the QB to improve; he also lacks sufficient experience to become adept in such situations. So, when the season rolls in 2025, we may not see the same problems we saw with him in the ULM game.
Triple trouble for Steve Sarkisian?
Despite the production, the QB will deliver. There are still wide receiver concerns that Steve Sarkisian needs to mitigate. The wide receiver room for the head coach looks not too deep with experience, as three players are touted to be the leaders in the unit. Those are Ryan Wingo, Emmett Mosley, and DeAndre Moore. ON3’s analyst J.D. PicKell highlighted the concerns with the three players.
“Emmett Mosley is going to be a guy that transfers in and is successful for you, but he’s not partaking in spring practice right now….Ryan Wingo and DeAndre Moore are both individuals you expect would be like your number one and number two receivers next year. But they’re being limited during spring practice.”
Mosley is a new transfer addition from the Stanford Cardinals to Texas’s receiver unit. The player received 525 yards with Stanford in the ACC and would still feel the challenge to perform in the SEC and in a more competitive environment than Stanford, which finished 3-9 last season. Other players like DeAndre Moore also threw for 456 yards, but being the main receiver in the offense, the same performance doesn’t cut it. The news may not be too good for Arch Manning.
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