The chatter around Arch Manning is getting louder, but Texas is not making a quarterback change. Steve Sarkisian said Monday that Manning remains the starter, even as the Longhorns prepare to give redshirt freshman KJ Lacey Jr more first-team reps in practice this week.
Sarkisian didn’t dodge the conversation, either. He was blunt about what he wants to see from his quarterback.
“Arch can play better for us; he’s our starter, but I need to see a better version of Arch Manning,” Sarkisian said Monday. “Like I need to see a better version of a lot of guys on our offensive football team right now. We need to see a better version of him this week.”
The outside noise has been relentless. Former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky was among those pushing Manning to move on, writing on social media this morning, “Arch should definitely go back to school (as of right now) and definitely not at Texas.”
Sports Illustrated’s Gene Wojciechowski went a step further, floating Indiana as a possible destination after Curt Cignetti’s work with No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza in 2025. “I’m not saying it hasn’t worked out, but could it work out better someplace else, given what Curt Cignetti has shown, is it Indiana?”
he questioned. Pat Forde then suggested it could be a “one year rocket ride” for Manning to the top of the draft board.
CBS Sports analyst Pete Prisco also hinted Manning should move on, while former NFL general manager Ran Carthon raised Miami as another possible landing spot.
For now, though, Texas is keeping Manning in place while trying to squeeze more out of him. Through six games, he has completed 63.9% of his passes for 1,295 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. Opposing defenses have sacked him 17 times in those six games, a number that already tops the 23 times he was sacked across the entire 2025 season.
No. 19 Texas hosts No. 7 Ole Miss on Saturday night.
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