OXFORD - Pete Golding isn’t buying the latest rush to downgrade Arch Manning.
With Ole Miss set to visit Texas on Oct. 24, the Rebels’ coach pushed back hard on the idea that Manning has somehow stopped being an elite quarterback, despite a season that has featured plenty of turbulence for the Longhorns’ senior signal-caller.
“I think some people have shown him some different looks and taken away some first reads and been able to apply some pressure and all that,” Golding said Oct. 19. “But the conception that he's not an elite player right now is crazy to me.”
Manning has put up 1,295 passing yards and 11 touchdowns this season, but the mistakes have piled up too. He has thrown five interceptions and added a costly fourth-quarter fumble against Florida, giving him three fourth-quarter turnovers over his last two games. Texas has also dropped consecutive games to Oklahoma and Florida.
Still, Golding said the film tells a fuller story than the stat line. In his view, some of the turnovers have come with a healthy dose of bad luck, not just bad quarterback play.
“What's unique about this year to me, when you watch them on tape, they've had a lot of bad luck,” Golding said. “Hitting guys in stride, hitting guys in the chest and the ball bounces off, get a pick.
All those type of things. Somehow it's been lost that they beat the No. 1 team in the country and they were the No. 1 team in the country ...
Arch is still an elite player. They've got elite skill and a really good coach.”
That matchup with Ohio State in Week 2 is part of why Manning arrived this fall carrying so much buzz. Texas beat the then-No. 1 team in the nation and climbed to No. 1 in the polls, while Manning entered the season projected by some as the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Golding also made clear that he doesn’t view a possible quarterback switch as a dramatic shift in Texas’ offensive identity. Steve Sarkisian has already said Manning remains the starter, but he also said after the 27-24 loss to Florida that “ everything is going to be evaluated,” including the quarterback spot. ESPN reported that backup KJ Lacey, a sophomore and former four-star recruit, will get more first-team reps.
Even so, Golding expects the Longhorns’ offense to look largely the same if Lacey ever takes over.
“Sark runs his system, and it's been really effective wherever he's been,” Golding said. “I think regardless who is at quarterback, that's not going to change much. Obviously there's packages and short yardage and field positions where you've got to be aware of certain things he's done in the past.”
For Ole Miss, the matchup gives Golding his first look at Manning in person. The Rebels have steadied their defense after a shaky start, holding Vanderbilt to 17 points in Week 6 and Missouri to three in Week 7.
Golding, though, made it clear he’s preparing for the full version of Manning, not the version critics have been quick to question.
“He's got all the arm talent in the world,” Golding said. “He's a size, speed guy.
Much more athletic than you think. Still has the ability to extend plays and the guy has won at a high level.”
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Pete Goldings group now heads into the heart of SEC play with some real momentum behind it, and his record against ranked opponents sits at 6-1 after another statement performance. The challenge for Ole Miss is obvious enough: this level of defensive sharpness has to hold when the opposition gets tougher, because the next stretch will say a lot about whether this was simply a strong showing or a preview of what the Rebels can sustain. [Read more 🡒]
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Now comes the part that will say the most about where this team really stands. Texas offers a different level of challenge, and it is the kind of matchup that can either validate the recent surge or expose how far Ole Miss still has to go. Health will matter, too, especially with Lacy emerging as such an important piece of the offense, because the Rebels' ceiling feels tied to how long they can keep their key runners available and the defense playing with this same level of urgency. [Read more 🡒]