The mystery surrounding Texas’ quarterback room last year was a 24/7 soap opera for fans, analysts, and even rival coaches. But now, with Quinn Ewers slinging darts in the NFL and Arch Manning finally getting the keys to the Longhorns offense, you’d think the drama might slow down. Think again. Because despite Ewers’ camp heroics in Miami, Steve Sarkisian’s QB headache just got an encore.
Quinn Ewers, once a five-star unicorn with a mullet and million-dollar NIL deals, has officially taken his talents to South Beach—or more specifically, to the Miami Dolphins’ practice fields. The man literally split the fanbase like a brisket in Austin was taken with the 231st pick in April’s NFL Draft, and it raised more than a few eyebrows. Injury concerns, including a nagging oblique, torpedoed his stock. But oh boy, has he bounced back. On Day 5 of Dolphins camp, Ewers cooked. Three red-zone reps. Three straight touchdowns. Tua Tagovailoa and the boys on the sidelines? Losing their minds. It was like a Friday night lights movie scene—but real.
Now here’s the twist: While Ewers is building momentum in Miami, back in Austin, the QB talk is heating up with Arch Manning. And suddenly, Steve Sarkisian finds himself in the exact same spotlight he stood under last fall. Fans remember how Texas’ Natty hopes went up in smoke in the fourth quarter against Ohio State when Jack Sawyer strip-sacked Ewers and shut the door. A lot of those same fans—and some analysts, too—still believe Arch would’ve changed that script.
Joel Klatt sure does. The Fox Sports analyst went full-throttle on his podcast recently, naming Arch the fourth-best player in all of college football for 2025. “Arch Manning deserves a spot on this list,” Klatt said. “I don’t know about tired of the hype is the right word or thought to convey. But like, Arch Manning deserves a spot on this list. If you just look at the way that he played when he got his chances to play, it was dynamic.” Klatt wasn’t guessing either. In just two starts last season, Manning racked up 13 total touchdowns with only two picks. The kid was slinging’ it like he had NFL blood in his veins—probably because he does.
Statistically? Arch was surgical. In limited duty, he completed 61 of 90 passes for 939 yards, with 9 passing TDs and a passer rating of 184. Add 4 rushing scores to that, and you’ve got 13 total TDs in 10 games. He was 2–0 as a starter, calm under pressure, and most importantly—mobile. That’s the one trait Ewers lacked when the walls closed in during that semifinal showdown. Ewers could spin it, sure, but he couldn’t escape. And in today’s college game? You better have wheels and moxie.
Joel Klatt doubled down, saying Arch’s deep-ball ability over Quinn Ewers: “Then you have the aspect that [Arch Manning] can threaten the grass on the field to what I would say a greater extent than Quinn Ewers did. Ewers was a really good player. I loved Ewers. But Manning makes throws that I think scare defensive coordinators versus just, “Yeah, he can make the throw.” Because he can threaten the outside of the numbers from the far hash down the field. Well, now all of a sudden, what you’re doing is you’re expanding the defense.” Translation: Texas might finally cook up a vertical offense nasty enough to hang 40 on anyone. Also run over anyone. And now, with a flashy receiver room and a confident, twitchy quarterback under center, the Longhorns are about to find out what they really got in Manning.
The diabolical pressure on Arch Manning
You think stepping into your family business is tough? Try doing it when your last name is Manning and the family biz is slinging pigskins. Arch Manning isn’t just taking over Texas’ offense—he’s inheriting a throne forged in SEC rivalries and Super Bowl rings. And now, with Vegas oddsmakers laying down fat bets on Texas to win it all, that throne is suddenly a rocket ship.
Blake Munroe of On Texas Football broke the story: someone dropped $300,000 on Texas to win the 2025 College Football Playoff. That’s the biggest wager on any team this year. If the bet hits? That’s a cool $1.5 million payday. Texas also leads the nation in title-ticket volume at 12.5% of all CFP bets. For context, even Ohio State trails behind at 9.2%. The message? Everyone’s bought into the Manning era, hard.
But Arch’s next challenge isn’t a preseason podcast ranking—it’s a date with the defending national champs. Texas opens their season in Columbus, in a revenge game against Ohio State. And now, it’s Arch’s job to flip the script. Thing is, his last shot at a top-5 defense didn’t exactly scream “Heisman front-runner.” When Georgia rolled into Austin last year and slapped #2 Longhorns 30–15, Manning made a cameo. He went 3-of-6 for 19 yards, ran for a nice 21-yard scamper, but didn’t put points on the board. Georgia’s D ate Texas alive, and fans are still trying to forget that one.
So yeah, this Ohio State game? It’s more than just a season opener. It’s a referendum. Is Arch Manning the generational talent everyone wants him to be? Or just another name with too much hype? With the spotlight this bright, one bad half can turn into a week-long media roast. But one explosive start? That could lock him into the Heisman convo before the leaves even change in Austin.
The post Despite Quinn Ewers’ Rookie Camp Update, Steve Sarkisian Slapped With QB Decision Yet Again appeared first on EssentiallySports.
