Arch Manning is the headline for the 2025 season. At just 19, the newest torchbearer of Manning’s legacy is stepping into the most pressure-packed role in the sport. That’s what everyone is beyond excited to see from Texas. Already touted to be a top-favorite for the Heisman Trophy and even the 2026 draft, the expectations people are burdening his shoulders with are insane. The hype around his debut is reaching skyrocketing limits, with people already declaring this season to be the start of the Arch Manning era. But let’s not forget, Manning has to take over the legacy left by the equally formidable Quinn Ewers. With these two greats in the QB room last year, did it create any grounds for some possible tiffs? Steve Sarkisian throws some light.
Ever since the HC recruited Manning to the program, people were eager for Ewers to hand over the baton to the young QB. Two years later, the shift of power has finally happened. But there was never bad blood between the two, even though Manning takes up most of the attention from the community. “He’s definitely a friend of mine and will be for a while,” Ewers told On3 as Manning gears up for his debut on August 30. Despite their good friendship, Sarkisian had a strategy for both his star QBs to prevent them from clashing with each other. Looking at the bond the two shared, the strategy worked wonders for all three parties.
Sarkisian said at an event recently that the key was for both of them to understand that they’re both in different situations. “Here’s Quinn Ewers going into year three, knows the system inside and out. Now it’s managing expectations. Now it’s the nuances of the system. Where Arch, he just got here. He’s trying to learn the foundation of the offense.” The former QB has a 2-year seniority over Manning, who was playing his fourth CFB season. It was essential for both of them to understand their roles properly, so they could act upon what was expected of them individually. The duo was advised to view their differences not as friction points, but as an opportunity to build mutual respect.
“[We] try to get them to appreciate where each of them is at, what they’re working at, and then supporting one another as opposed to pitting them as rivals. We try to make them best friends and support one another.” Sarkisian added. He also talked about the funny underlying motive that had him employing this strategy. “And a lot of times that I will intentionally be harder on them to get them to gravitate towards one another, thinking that all they got is each other,” he said. Basically, he wanted them to at least unitedly talk bad about him, like “’[That] guy hates our guts, right? And the quarterback coach hates our guts,” and so on.
Steve Sarkisian essentially wanted Ewers and Manning to find common ground in times of adversity. And his plan worked, because now the two share a great relationship, even if one of them is no longer at Texas. Arch Manning, as he prepares to take that first snap against OSU in August, still holds onto an emotional message from Ewers after their loss in last year’s semifinals. Moreover, he appreciates the latter for being the ideal leader to learn from.
Arch Manning has nothing but high regard for Quinn Ewers
Steve Sarkisian’s hopes of clinching a National Championship victory were shattered once again at the exact point from last year. Texas lost to Ohio State 14-28, who later went on to win the title. It all came down to a fateful fumble that allowed the Buckeyes to run with the ball and into the finals. That meant Quinn Ewers was ending his regular season career with a loss. But the QB also served as the model for Manning to follow as the latter assumes charge of the offense. Manning told ESPN, “He was like, ‘Enjoy every moment. It goes by quickly. Love your teammates, and have fun.’ I took that to heart. I’m thankful for everything he did for me.”
In another instance, Manning humbly accepted that he got more attention instead of Ewers, despite doing scut work. “It’s probably not easy with me being the backup, everyone’s trying to talk about it,” he told the press last year. “[But] he doesn’t let it bother him at all. He’s just one of the guys, one of my good friends.” This just shows that Sarkisian’s orchestration was beyond quarterback management. Not only did he succeed in keeping the locker room atmosphere calm between the two, but his move also allowed the two to become such good friends with each other. The two were able to connect despite their difference in age and fame.
Manning found the perfect mentor in Ewers. All thanks to Steve Sarkisian’s coaching genius. It’s surprising how well it worked for Sark, given that he had two very, very strong names in his QB room. At the end of the day, it worked out for the best.
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