Arch Manning has been carrying a sharp edge into Texas practice this week, and Steve Sarkisian says that’s exactly the tone he wants to see.
The Longhorns are 4-2 after back-to-back losses to Oklahoma and Florida, leaving little margin for error as they head into a Week 8 matchup with No. 7 Ole Miss in Austin. Texas needs a turnaround fast if it hopes to stay in the mix for the College Football Playoff, and Manning’s response after two rough outings is a major part of that push.
Across those two losses, Manning committed three turnovers, with each game ending on a turnover during Texas’ final drive despite the Longhorns having a chance to pull out a win late. That’s the backdrop for Sarkisian’s read on his quarterback’s mindset this week.
“I would use the word edgy, and I like it. He is edgy right now,” Sarkisian said, via CJ Vogel. “At some point he has to fight back, and the best way for him to fight back is going out and playing really good football with his teammates and enjoy playing football with his teammates.”
It’s a telling description of where Manning is right now. He has nearly two dozen starts behind him, but his play has trended the wrong way as the regular season moves toward its final month. The flashes are still there, but they’re getting buried under stretches of inefficient quarterback play.
Texas and Ole Miss meet Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
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The opening is there because Texas has stumbled on both sides of the ball, but Ole Miss still has to take advantage of it. A road game like this rarely hands itself over, and if the Rebels are going to turn a big opportunity into something bigger, their top players will have to match the moment in a setting that could end up defining the rest of the year. [Read more 🡒]