• Arch Manning is about to make his first profession begin this weekend: With Quinn Ewers coping with an stomach pressure, the redshirt freshman will begin this week for top-ranked Texas.
• This remains to be Quinn Ewers’ job when he returns: No matter how good the previous No. 1 general recruit appears to be like, Texas ought to nonetheless roll with Ewers the remainder of the season when he returns from his harm.
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Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes
Arch Manning has had sky-high expectations positioned on him since beginning. That comes together with his final title after the legacies his uncles, Peyton and Eli, and his grandfather, Archie, created.
The hype was solely magnified when Arch Manning turned the No. 1 general recruit within the 2023 highschool class and dedicated to Texas, some of the storied packages in school soccer historical past. He spent his freshman 12 months because the Longhorns’ third-string quarterback, making an attempt simply 5 passes in 2023.
With Maalik Murphy transferring to Duke, Manning turned Quinn Ewers’ backup as a redshirt freshman for the 2024 season. That was till Ewers suffered an stomach pressure in opposition to UTSA in Week 3, which knocked him out of the sport early within the second quarter. Manning was inserted and regarded spectacular in essentially the most recreation motion he’s had in his school profession.
He completed with an 88.6 PFF general grade after going 9-for-12 for 223 yards, 4 touchdowns and the primary big-time throw of his profession. Manning additionally seemingly bought his mobility from his grandfather somewhat than his stationary uncles, as he ripped off a 67-yard landing run in addition.
A Manning that may run. It’s over for the league
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 15, 2024
With the information that Ewers is week-to-week together with his harm, Manning will make his first school begin this weekend in opposition to Louisiana-Monroe. Texas also needs to really feel comfy beginning the redshirt freshman the next week in opposition to Mississippi State, the worst SEC group in PFF’s energy rankings. The Longhorns then have a bye week, that means Ewers can relaxation for practically a full month earlier than probably returning for the Red River Rivalry in opposition to No. 15 Oklahoma on Oct. 12.
Highest-Graded Power Four QBs | Week 3, 2024
But irrespective of how good Manning appears to be like over the following couple of weeks, make no mistake: This remains to be Ewers’ group. After all, the redshirt junior was the betting favourite to win the Heisman Trophy simply final week earlier than his harm. That was following a improbable efficiency on the highway in opposition to among the finest defenses in America within the then-No. 10 Michigan Wolverines.
Ewers threw for 246 yards, three touchdowns, two big-time throws and no turnover-worthy performs in a dominant 31-12 victory over the defending nationwide champions. The 12 months earlier than, Ewers led the Longhorns to their first Big 12 championship in 14 seasons whereas additionally securing the varsity’s first-ever College Football Playoff berth, formally stamping Texas as lastly being “again.” He’s a possible first-round quarterback within the 2025 NFL Draft who has executed nothing on the sector to have his job safety threatened.
While different five-star recruits could have transferred in the event that they weren’t beginning of their second season, Manning returned to Texas figuring out full nicely he’d have to carry a clipboard for another 12 months. Even with Ewers harm, these plans haven’t modified. These subsequent couple of weeks are merely a superb alternative to get an early have a look at the Longhorns’ 2025 beginning quarterback — and a possible high prospect within the 2026 NFL Draft. There isn’t any quarterback controversy in Austin.
Manning is the very best backup quarterback in school soccer, one who would begin for lots of colleges proper now. With Ewers set to return sooner or later this season, Texas shouldn’t be one in every of them.