Through four games, Arch Manning’s senior-year stat line doesn’t exactly scream Heisman candidate. The numbers are solid, but they don’t leap off the page, and that’s been enough for some criticism to follow the Texas quarterback early in the season.
Manning has completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 862 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions. On the ground, he has 82 rushing yards on 32 carries, but he has not scored a rushing touchdown yet.
Even with those modest totals, Manning remains on a path that could still end with him as a projected first-round NFL Draft pick if he declares after the season. The bigger issue for Texas is that the offense around him is still settling in, despite a stronger supporting cast that includes transfer additions Hollywood Smothers, Raleek Brown and Cam Coleman, along with several offensive linemen.
The Longhorns have not been a finished product on offense. They rank No. 57 nationally in scoring at 33.3 points per game, sit 93rd in rushing at 147.25 yards per game and are No. 71 in passing.
There are signs of progress in the run game, even if the national rankings haven’t caught up yet. The passing attack has flashed big-play ability, too. But Texas still hasn’t put it all together consistently.
What has stood out is when Manning gets to the fourth quarter.
According to CFBStats.com, he is completing 76.9 percent of his passes in the fourth quarter this season, with 115 yards and a touchdown. He has only thrown 13 passes in those situations so far, but that completion rate is a major jump from his splits in the second and third quarters.
The best example came against Ohio State. After three quarters in which Texas struggled to find any rhythm and kept hurting itself, Manning settled things down in the final 15 minutes.
He completed eight of 11 fourth-quarter passes for 91 yards and a touchdown in the comeback win. Texas needed every drive to count, and Manning answered with clean, mistake-free football when the game was on the line.
He’s not going to be perfect every week, and the production won’t be smooth for all four quarters. But if Manning keeps rising when the pressure spikes, Texas will have a real chance in every game it plays.
In Other News...
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Williams-Callis also showed off the kind of all-purpose ability that makes him such a tough cover, tossing a 26-yard touchdown pass in the 78-0 rout. He has been productive all season as well, with 1,166 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns plus more yardage through the air and in the passing game, a reminder that Texas is getting more than just a traditional runner. [Read more 🡒]
Arch Manning Is Driving A Texas Debate Fans Wont Ignore
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The debate only gets louder from there. ESPNs Josh Pate recently slotted Manning ninth among SEC starting quarterbacks, a ranking that will not sit well with everyone in Austin, and it comes as Robert Griffin III and Todd McShay have both floated the idea that Manning could benefit from another season at Texas. For Longhorns fans, that kind of conversation is less about one early-season ranking than it is about what Manning might look like when his time in Austin is finally ready to close. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Makes Final Push To Keep 5-Star Easton Royal Committed
Easton Royals recruitment is suddenly back in the spotlight, and Texas is trying to protect a commitment it has spent about a year trying to hold onto. The five-star wide receiver from Louisiana has drawn heavy attention from LSU and Florida, but the Longhorns are making one more push with head coach Steve Sarkisian and wide receivers coach Chris Jackson set to visit him in person.
For Texas, the timing matters because recruiting experts have recently leaned toward LSU as the likeliest landing spot if Royal changes course. Still, the upcoming visit gives the Longhorns a chance to press their case directly and see if they can shift the momentum before Royal makes his final decision. [Read more 🡒]