Texas is staying the course at quarterback for now, but Steve Sarkisian made it clear Monday that Arch Manning’s grip on the job comes with conditions.
With No. 7 Ole Miss next on the schedule Saturday, Sarkisian said Manning will remain the Longhorns’ starter even as the offense continues to sputter through a two-game skid.
"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."
Texas is coming off a 27-24 loss to Florida, a defeat that further bruised a season already tilting in the wrong direction. Sarkisian said after Saturday’s game that "everything" would be evaluated across the program, and his tone around Manning has sharpened since then.
That marks a shift from earlier in the month, when Sarkisian defended Manning after a two-interception fourth quarter in a loss to Oklahoma and said his quarterback was being judged unfairly. After Saturday’s loss, which included Manning’s first career home defeat and a costly late fumble, the message was different.
"I just felt like we didn't play good offensive football, and we're not playing great offensive football right now," Sarkisian said.
Manning’s season has not matched the steadier stretch he showed over the final six starts of the 2025 campaign, his first as a starter. Through this season, he has thrown for 1,295 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions, with four of those turnovers coming against Power Four opponents.
The issues around him go beyond the stat line. Texas has struggled to find rhythm on offense, and the numbers reflect it: the Longhorns are 12th in the SEC in total offense after seven games, 13th in rushing offense and 15th in explosive plays. For a roster loaded with talent, those are jarring rankings.
Manning hasn’t always been in sync with his receivers, and the misses have been obvious. Last time out, he left several throws short and came close to turning it over again, including on a deep ball to Cam Coleman.
Sarkisian also pointed the finger squarely at his quarterback on the late fumble that helped seal the loss.
"I think on that play, our protection might've been OK," Sarkisian said. "I think [Manning] might have been a little quick to kind of drop his eyes.
He had Emmett Mosley, who's the primary [receiver]. We thought the ball could have got out."
Manning answered that critique without flinching.
"Yeah, I mean everyone's evaluated every week. That's how it is when you go to a school like this with elite players. Everyone's gotta get better, and that starts with me," he said after Saturday's loss.
The backup situation has also drawn attention. Previous reports said KJ Lacey had been getting an "uptick" in first-team reps in practice after Manning’s struggles, but Sarkisian said Monday that Lacey takes first-team reps every week.
A 2025 signee, Lacey was one of two quarterbacks Sarkisian targeted in that recruiting cycle, along with Bryce Underwood, who signed with Michigan. The Alabama native won a 6A state title at Saraland and arrived as a four-star prospect. Over his first two seasons at Texas, he has appeared in three games.
Lacey is the No. 2 passer in Alabama prep football history with 10,985 yards. He completed five of seven passes for 55 yards in the opener against Texas State and went 1-for-1 for 8 yards earlier this fall against UTSA.
Sarkisian said the distribution of reps behind Manning has not changed, but left the door open for the week to determine what comes next.
"we'll find out as the week goes," he said.
Texas also has bigger offensive problems than one position battle. The Longhorns lead the SEC in three-and-out rate and still haven’t been able to move people in the run game, even after adding Hollywood Smothers from NC State and Raleek Brown from Arizona State in the offseason. Manning and Lacey both offer the ability to make plays with their legs, though both are pocket-first passers.
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