Texas A&M’s quarterback situation could look very different by 2027, and the transfer portal may be the fastest way to solve it.
With redshirt junior Marcel Reed trending the wrong way and backup Brady Hart unlikely to be ready to step in as the starter this season or next, Mike Elko may need to go shopping for a high-end quarterback. If that happens, the price tag probably won’t be small.
There are already a few names worth tracking. Alabama backup Austin Mack and Oregon State quarterback Brandon Atkenson are among the possible targets that could attract attention from multiple Power Four teams in need of a quarterback.
One name that has entered the conversation is Texas junior Arch Manning. The Longhorns have stumbled badly this season, dropping back-to-back SEC games to unranked Oklahoma and Florida, and Manning has struggled in both. Against Florida, he finished with 173 passing yards and one touchdown against a shaky secondary.
On “That SEC Podcast,” hosts Michael Bratton and Cousin Shane floated several programs that could chase Manning if Texas keeps sliding, including Texas A&M. That would only become a real possibility if the Longhorns miss the College Football Playoff for the second straight year and potentially move on from Steve Sarkisian.
Manning still has the arm talent to succeed in College Station, but Texas’s problems have piled up fast. Sarkisian’s play-calling has drawn scrutiny, and the blocking up front has not helped.
Even so, a move to Texas A&M feels like a long shot. If Manning reaches the portal, Oklahoma, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Tennessee could all be in the mix as well.
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Clemson Finally Gets A Needed Back After A Brutal Rehab Journey
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For Clemson, the timing mattered as much as the return itself. The Tigers have been dealing with injuries in the running back room, and Dabo Swinney had already been open about hoping Haynes could give the offense another option once he was ready. Now the question is less about whether he can get back on the field and more about how quickly he can become part of the rotation again. [Read more 🡒]
Brad Brownell Faces Two Early Clemson Questions That Could Define Season
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Clemson Faces A Primetime ACC Test That Could Define Its Season
Clemson gets another spotlight opportunity Saturday night when Virginia Tech comes to town for a primetime ACC matchup that could say a lot about where the Tigers stand in the league race. The setting alone gives the game extra weight, and the records suggest a competitive one, with Clemson sitting at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play while the Hokies arrive at 5-2.
The oddsmakers expect little separation, either, with Clemson installed as a 2.5-point favorite in a nationally televised game on ESPN. For a Tigers team trying to keep pace in the ACC, it is the kind of night that can sharpen the seasons direction in a hurry, especially against a Virginia Tech team that has already shown it can make things interesting. [Read more 🡒]