The talk around Arch Manning has gotten louder, and it’s not coming from one corner anymore. What started as a little chatter has turned into a full-on suggestion from multiple national voices that the Texas quarterback should look elsewhere.
Dan Orlovsky was among the first to say it plainly on social media Monday morning: “Arch should definitely go back to school (as of right now) and definitely not at Texas,” Orlovsky said.
From there, the speculation kept rolling. Gene Wojciechowski of Sports Illustrated floated Indiana as a possible destination, pointing to what Curt Cignetti did with No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza in 2025.
Wojciechowski asked, “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?” Pat Forde quickly backed the idea, suggesting it could be a “one year rocket ride” for Manning to climb to the top of the draft board.
The list of destinations didn’t stop there. CBS Sports analyst Pete Prisco also hinted Manning should move on from Texas, while former NFL general manager Ran Carthon brought up Miami as a possible landing spot.
At the same time, Texas is making its own quarterback situation a little more interesting. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the Longhorns are “expected to give an up-tick in first-team quarterback reps to redshirt freshman KJ Lacey Jr this week in practice.”
Even with that report circulating, Steve Sarkisian wasn’t budging on the depth chart. The Texas coach said Manning remains his starter, but he wants more from him.
“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.”
Through six games, Manning has completed 63.9% of his passes for 1,295 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has also been sacked 17 times, a sharp jump from the 23 sacks Texas allowed across the entire 2025 season.
Texas, ranked No. 19, hosts No. 7 Ole Miss on Saturday night.
In Other News...
NC State Faces A Road Test That Just Got More Complicated
Stanfords latest win gave the Cardinal a burst of momentum heading into a visit from NC State, and Micah Ford made sure the Wolfpack had reason to take notice. Ford piled up a career-best 231 scrimmage yards and matched Stanfords single-game mark with four rushing touchdowns against Elon, a performance that underscored how dangerous the Cardinal can be when its run game gets rolling.
For NC State, the trip only gets trickier from here. Dave Doeren has already talked through the bye week and the travel demands of a cross-country game, and the Wolfpack arrive with quarterback CJ Bailey and top receiver Keenan Jackson carrying much of the offensive load while the status of leading rusher Jayden Scott is still part of the conversation. How NC State manages all of that, and how much it can lean on its usual plans after the long haul, will shape a road test that already looked tough before Stanfords backfield turned up the heat. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Showed One Encouraging Trait And One Early Concern
NC State got an early look at where its new basketball group stands in an exhibition against Mississippi State, and there was at least one encouraging sign to take away from it. The Wolfpack closed strong with a 12-2 run, and a handful of newcomers and key pieces helped carry the offense, with Darius Adams, Preston Edmead, Paul McNeil Jr. and Ven-Allen Lubin all making their presence felt in scoring and at the free-throw line.
The finish gave NC State something to build on, but the game also showed there is still work to do before the results start counting. Rebounding was the clearest issue, with Mississippi State owning the glass and creating extra chances throughout the night, a gap the Wolfpack will need to address quickly as it moves on to another exhibition against Lenoir-Rhyne University. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Faces A Backfield Blow As Stanford Depth Test Looms
NC States backfield is going to look different this week after Duke Scott was ruled out for the Stanford game following the leg and foot injury he picked up against Louisville. The Wolfpack are already working through a long injury list, with safety Tristan Teasdell among the players sidelined and several others out for the season, so the loss of another running back adds to the challenge as the schedule continues to tighten.
Kamen Smith has also landed back on the injury report, leaving his status in question for a second straight week and adding another layer of uncertainty to the rotation. Stanford, for its part, arrives with its own roster issues, including linebacker Matt Rose missing a third consecutive game and other starters unavailable, so both teams are heading into the matchup with depth being tested in a real way. [Read more 🡒]