Quinn Ewers surprised many in the college football world with his decision to remain in Austin for one final year with the Longhorns.
That doesn’t mean his decision didn’t make perfect sense. After all, Ewers will have a legitimate chance to win the national championship while greatly improving his draft stock.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck is considered the favorite to be the #1 overall pick in next year’s NFL Draft – but Ewers won’t be too far behind.
The juicier storyline is that by Ewers deciding to remain at Texas, that means that prized quarterback Arch Manning will have to sit-out yet another full season. (Unless something goes horribly wrong.)
There were many fans and analysts who thought it was a foregone conclusion that Manning would hit the transfer portal once Ewers announced his intentions to stay with the Longhorns.
However, we know the type of character the entire Manning family has.
No one wants to sit on the bench, but Arch made it clear that he wasn’t going anywhere.
He and his famous siblings repeated multiple times that his intentions are to finish what his started, where he started.
You can count Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian as someone who was never worried about losing Manning to the transfer portal.
“I get a chuckle out of this,” Sarkisian told CBS Sports. “He’s going into year two. What do you mean? … But that’s the mentality.”
Indeed, Manning’s decision to remain with Texas rather than seek a transfer to a program guaranteeing a starting role earned him respect from many.
Sarkisian emphasized that Manning’s development as both a player and a leader is an ongoing process, one that takes time and commitment.
“We’re developing him to play and be a great football player and a great leader, and he’s going to be … But that’s where we’re at,” Sarkisian affirmed.
Manning excited the Longhorns fan base with his spectacular performance in their recent spring game where he passed for 355 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-25 passing.
Although many would love to see him play now – which isn’t fair to Ewers – the fact of the matter is he will be ultra-prepared and more than ready to hit the ground running come 2025.
Sarkisian confirmed that the growth and improvement in Manning’s game is crystal clear.
“I just feel like that ability to trust the timing of your drop and where the ball is supposed to go, keeping your eyes up in the pocket, making those subtle movements in the pocket,” Sarkisian said of Manning.
“A lot of times when a quarterback moves, he doesn’t need to move very far. He just needs to move swiftly enough, keeping his vision downfield and then stand firm to deliver the ball as accurately as possible.”
When you’re a quarterback with the last name “Manning,” you’re going to be a major focus point wherever you go. That’s just reality.
However, Arch deserves a ton of credit for how he’s handled everything in Austin to this point.
Unsurprisingly, he’s proven to be as team-first as it gets. He knows where he stands, and he won’t be ruffling any feathers along the way.
Sark and the Longhorns are lucky to have him.
What are your thoughts on Manning?
If you were him, would you have looked to transfer once you found out that Ewers was returning?
Looking ahead, do you think Manning will end up living up to the hype?
As far as this coming season, do you think Ewers has what it takes to lead the Longhorns to the national title???