After redshirting his debut year with the Longhorns, Arch Manning, the youngest member of the Manning football family, came out firing for his freshman start. By scoring his first touchdown for the program in their 52-0 win against Colorado State, and with the celebrations that followed, the 19-year-old displayed what fans are calling a level of ‘Manning swagger.’
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It all started when Arch entered the field after starter quarterback Quinn Ewers had already secured a 38-0 lead. With just four minutes remaining in the third quarter, Arch was determined to make an impact.
He began with a 40-yard pass to Johntay Cook II, and on the final play of the drive, he quickly displayed his acumen by ditching a rushing attempt and passing the ball to wide receiver Silas Bolden, who carried it into the end zone.
For his first touchdown for the Longhorns, Arch’s celebratory moment with running back Quintrevion Wisner soon made it to social media, with one fan dubbing it ‘unimaginable levels of Manning swagger.’
Arch has previously unimaginable levels of Manning swagger pic.twitter.com/dMXBNoVApr
— Mike Herndon (@MikeHerndonNFL) August 31, 2024
However, the Manning show didn’t end there. In the 4th quarter, Arch scored a sneaky rushing touchdown, putting himself in the end zone. The star quarterback wrapped up the game with 95 passing yards, 2 combined touchdowns, and a perfect passer rating of 158.3—all in just 20 minutes of playtime.
Notably, Arch Manning, nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, is a third-generation quarterback from the Manning family. He was labeled a 5-star recruit out of Isidore Newman Greenies and spent his debut year as the third-string quarterback for the Longhorns. This year, the team promoted him as the backup to Ewers.
If his first showing is any indication, Arch might see significantly more playtime this season and could potentially lead the Longhorns after Ewers declares for the NFL. For now, though, head coach Steve Sarkisian aims to continue developing and refining his skills.
Sarkisian reveals what makes coaching Arch very easy
The Longhorns head coach has a straightforward approach to managing Arch and the weight of his family name. Despite the pressure of coaching a 5-star recruit, the coach remains focused on the bigger picture and won’t let the ‘world of instant gratification’ influence his plan for the young quarterback.
During his appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, Sarkisian explained that not even his uncles, Payton and Eli, started as a quarterback in their freshman years of college. Therefore, it’s only justified that Arch gets a full-time opportunity when the timing is perfect. In addition, he appreciated the Manning family’s support and understanding of the ‘process of developing’ Arch into a world-class player.
“I think the one thing that the Mannings understand is when it’s your time to play, they want to play really well. They don’t wanna be learning on the job. “
With that being said, Arch’s first game of the season was a testament to the hours coach Sarkisian invested in his development as a playmaker. And at this rate, it won’t be long before the young Manning is at the center of the football world.
