Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian stated that quarterback Arch Manning's experience navigating a difficult inaugural season as the starter in Austin would have been overwhelming for most players.
"What he got through probably would have melted or destroyed 99 percent of the people in his shoes," Sarkisian said Thursday at SEC Media Days, according to The Athletic. "Right now he’s a very dangerous player because he learned a lot from last season, and he is surrounded by some good players. I think that he’s a guy that’s poised for a heck of a season." Manning underwent foot surgery in the winter and, upon clearance in the spring, began working with the team's running backs and receivers. He has also focused on improving his short-yardage game, acknowledging a completion percentage of 56.3 on passes between 0 and 10 yards was "not very good" during his first year.
Despite a challenging start, Manning showed improvement in the latter half of the 2025 season, throwing 14 touchdown passes against two interceptions in his final six games. He described his mindset during the difficult period, telling ESPN, "I was mad at myself. I’m like, why am I not playing well? It’s not supposed to be like this. I’m letting myself down. I’m letting the team down, the fans. And it was definitely challenging, but I think there’s nothing you can do besides keep trying to get better and work hard and get through it. And I knew I was going to get through it. It just took some time." Manning's 2026 season debut is scheduled for Sept. 5 against Texas State. "IMAGE1"