Arch Manning may be the face of Texas’ quarterback room, but KJ Lacey is the name that just got a lot louder.
Lacey has moved from fourth on the depth chart as a freshman to the No. 2 spot behind Manning, passing Matthew Caldwell and Trey Owens along the way. That climb came on the back of a strong spring, and it did more than earn him extra reps. It drew a comparison from Steve Sarkisian that carries real weight.
At SEC Media Days, Sarkisian said Lacey has traits that remind him of Bryce Young, the former Alabama quarterback who won the 2021 Heisman Trophy.
“I hate comparing guys because it’s never fair, but he’s got a lot of qualities that remind me of Bryce Young,” Sarkisian said at SEC Media Days.
That’s not the kind of line a coach throws out lightly, especially from someone who coached Young as Alabama’s offensive coordinator. It doesn’t mean Lacey is suddenly on a Heisman track before he’s even made a meaningful college start, but it does explain why Texas views him as more than just a backup.
The Mobile, Alabama, product arrived with a crowded list of suitors. His offers included Alabama, Miami, Auburn, Oregon, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Louisville and Colorado.
He also won Alabama Mr. Football after a standout 2024 high school season.
Texas landed him before he became a nationally recognized name, and Lacey has since said in a social media post that the Longhorns stood out because they believed in his development early and offered more than a path to wins. He said he bought into the program’s culture, relationships and championship expectations.
That buy-in is starting to show.
Wide receiver Ryan Wingo said Lacey has already begun taking ownership behind the scenes. Wingo said Lacey reached out to set up a throwing session, a small move that says plenty about how the quarterback is carrying himself.
“Them boys gonna be good. KJ and Dia,” Wingo said.
“I was actually throwing with KJ yesterday. That leadership thing.
He hit me up to go throw, so he’s kinda putting that out there off the rip.”
Backup quarterbacks can feel invisible until the moment they’re not. One snap can change everything. That’s why Lacey’s rise matters, and why Sarkisian’s Bryce Young comparison makes the spotlight behind Manning a little brighter.
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