Arch Manning got his first taste of college football last week. It appears he will have to grind more in order to meet the expectations and follow in the footsteps of his great uncles, Peyton and Eli Manning. The spring game marked the first-ever bout of this youngster on a big stage after showcasing a great performance in his high-school career.
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It was quite an important game for the Texas Longhorns and head coach Steve Sarkisian to decide the pecking order of their quarterback depth chart. And certainly, Arch couldn’t find a spot as a starter because of his slow pace struggling to find receivers in the deep end zone.
Can we find a successor to Peyton Manning in his nephew?
Well, it is quite difficult to judge at this point, because the 18-year-old has just entered the bigger league and has ample time to prove his worth. His arrival in the orange and white for the first game was followed by great celebrations and expectations from the fans.
He got named as a backup to the redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy who racked up an impressive score of nine completions in 13 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. Arch, who made his first completion in the last minutes of the first quarter, received cheers and a standing ovation from the fans.
After the game, Sarkisian named Quinn Ewers as the starter who played for the side in 2021 after transferring from Ohio. He played like a pure veteran completing 16 of his 23 passing attempts for 195 yards and a score. Hence it became obvious for Ewers to lead the side until a real challenger contest for the starting job.
It was quite unfortunate for Arch to see Arch getting criticized in his first game; however, that’s how things work in the football arena, especially when he carries the weight of his ancestral success right from his grandfather Archie Manning to his legendary uncles.
Arch Manning sought advice from Peyton before committing to the Texas Longhorns
Despite all the momentary setbacks, Arch happens to be one of the most popular teenager in the country. He is placed second in the latest NIL rankings just behind LeBron James’ son Bronny James.
While speaking in an interview, Peyton Manning heaped praises for his nephew and acknowledged his decision to play for Texas in 2023. “The relationships you make in high school just don’t go away,” Manning said to the reporters, per The New York Post.
“That’s why I’m glad for his sake that he made this decision. I did have a conversation with him last week after he made his last visit because he asked about when I made my decision,” he added. Anyways, it will be interesting to see how Arch manages to get past these initial bummers and make a name in the college world.
