Joel Klatt doesn’t think Texas needs to build its offense around Arch Manning to unlock its best version.
That was the message after the Longhorns survived a 34-27 win over Ole Miss in Week 8, a game in which Texas leaned heavily on the ground game to stay afloat. The Longhorns rushed for 207 yards and three touchdowns against the Rebels, doing enough to overcome two interceptions from Manning and keep their season moving.
The conversation around Texas has gotten louder in recent weeks, with plenty of people around the sport calling for Manning to be benched. Klatt has been part of that discussion before, saying earlier this month that Texas’ offense looked better under Manning’s predecessor. But on Monday, he drew a different line: his issue is less with Manning and more with how Steve Sarkisian is structuring the attack.
“If Texas was less Arch-centered, they would be better,” Klatt said during his namesake college football show on Monday. “The offense doesn’t have to run through him… if they built a game plan that was centered around owning the line of scrimmage and then getting to the passing game… that team would be scary… they would be the best team in the country.”
Klatt also made a “big distinction” that he was not arguing for Manning to lose the job. In his view, Manning still has to be the quarterback if Texas is going to hit its ceiling. The adjustment he wants is philosophical, not personnel-based.
Whether Texas actually changes course is another question. At this point in the season, Sarkisian and his staff seem unlikely to overhaul the approach, though that possibility isn’t completely off the table.
The Longhorns’ next chance comes against Mississippi State on Halloween night at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Just Won A Huge In-State Recruiting Battle
Ole Miss landed a major in-state recruiting win when Mitchell Turner, one of Mississippis top prospects and a four-star defensive lineman, announced he is officially committed to the Rebels and has closed his recruitment. Turner had drawn plenty of interest and kept looking at his options, including a visit to Alabama, but he ultimately settled back on the program closest to home, giving Ole Miss a significant addition on the defensive front.
For a Rebels staff trying to keep elite local talent from drifting elsewhere, this kind of commitment carries extra weight. Turners standing as a nationally ranked prospect only raises the stakes, and his upcoming appearance in the 2026 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game will give everyone another look at what Ole Miss is adding as it continues to build around the states best players. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Could Get A Timely Boost Up Front Vs Auburn
Ole Miss got through the Texas game without a sack allowed, but the offensive line still had to work around a key absence at right tackle. Terez Davis left that game with an injury and was held out as a precaution, a development that mattered even in a performance where the pass protection held up and the running game was not as sharp.
Pete Golding said Davis is expected back for the Auburn matchup, which would be a welcome bit of stability up front for a line trying to keep building on its pass-protection success. His return would also give the Rebels another piece to lean on as they look to find more balance on offense and avoid making that side of the ball do extra work. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Just Landed In A Postseason Picture Fans Will Debate
With the postseason picture still taking shape, ESPNs latest bowl projections have started to map out where the SECs top teams could land if the season ended right now. Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach updated their matchups across the conference, and the list includes the familiar heavyweights along with the rest of the leagues crowded middle, all of it tied to current rankings and how teams have performed to this point.
For Ole Miss fans, the interest is less about the certainty of any one destination and more about the range of possibilities still in play. Projections this early are always fluid, especially with so many SEC teams still sorting themselves out, but they do offer a useful snapshot of how the Rebels fit into a postseason race that could keep shifting right up to the end of the regular season. [Read more 🡒]