Arch Manning didn’t have much to say Tuesday, and that was the point.
Two weeks after his embarrassing moment with ESPN reporter Holly Rowe, the Texas quarterback has clearly tightened things up. His latest media session was all business, all clipped answers, and about as far from a headline-grabbing interview as you can get.
Manning faced 24 questions about Texas’ win over UTSA and the upcoming SEC opener against Tennessee, and he got through the whole thing in 90 seconds. That included more than just one-word responses, but not by much. The message was obvious: he’s keeping the focus on football and not giving anyone extra material.
The contrast from his last two trips to the podium was striking. On Saturday, he answered five questions in 20 seconds. On Monday, it was 19 questions in 56 seconds.
This week also brings Manning into a setting loaded with family history. It will be his first trip to Knoxville, where his uncle Peyton Manning is a familiar name to anyone around Rocky Top. Peyton built the opening chapter of his college career at Tennessee in the late 90s, and now Arch gets his own shot on the opposite sideline.
There’s another piece to the Manning story, too. Arch is chasing something nobody in the family has done before: a Heisman Trophy. He’s in position to make a serious run after helping push top-ranked Texas to a 3-0 start, throwing for 661 yards and seven touchdowns.
Saturday’s game also gives Texas another chance to make an impression on the College Football Playoff committee. Tennessee, meanwhile, will try to knock off a nationally ranked team at Neyland Stadium for the sixth time in 12 tries.
The Longhorns and Volunteers meet Saturday at noon ET on ABC.
In Other News...
Texas Faces A Colin Simmons Concern Ahead Of Tennessee
Colin Simmons status is one of the more important Texas storylines heading into the Tennessee game after the edge rusher left early in the UTSA win with a foot injury and was later spotted in a walking boot. Steve Sarkisian initially sounded optimistic about Simmons outlook, but he has since declined to offer any more detail, pointing instead to the official SEC injury report.
That leaves the Longhorns waiting on Wednesday evening for the first real update before a matchup that will test the defense in a big way. Simmons has been one of the players Texas can least afford to lose, and until the report comes out, there is still no clear answer on whether hell be available against Tennessee. [Read more 🡒]
Arch Manning Faces His Biggest Texas Test Yet At Tennessee
Arch Manning is heading into the kind of game that tends to sharpen the conversation around a quarterback. Texas opens Southeastern Conference play at Tennessee with the Longhorns sitting 3-0, and Manning has already supplied a few early reminders of why his arrival has carried so much attention, including the comeback win over Ohio State. Now the stage gets louder, the stakes get heavier, and the spotlight shifts to Knoxville for a matchup that will tell plenty about where Texas stands as the conference grind begins.
The trip also adds an extra layer of family history, with Manning making his first visit to a place where his uncle Peyton became a college football legend. Tennessee has had its own thoughts about the Longhorns quarterback, with Josh Heupel and players acknowledging Mannings talent, while freshman Faizon Brandon remains part of the Vols longer-term picture as he grows into conference play. For Manning, the backdrop is as notable as the opponent, and the test is bigger because of it. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Spurrier Just Weighed In On A Texas Game Gators Fans Know Well
A familiar voice from the SEC side has jumped into the conversation around Texas-Tennessee, and it is one that Florida fans know well. Steve Spurrier, the former Gators star and coach, broke from the usual buzz around the Longhorns by backing Tennessee in the upcoming matchup, a pick that stands out given Texas lofty ranking and the general expectation that the Longhorns should carry the day.
Spurriers read on it comes from more than just a hunch. He pointed to Tennessees success against Texas a year ago and liked the Volunteers chances again with the game in Knoxville, setting up a showdown that already has plenty of attention before kickoff. For Texas, it is the kind of outside doubt that can linger until the Longhorns answer it on the field. [Read more 🡒]