You’d think a kid with the last name Manning would have a lifetime pass to sling it, scramble, and Superman-dive. But Texas isn’t filming an action flick in 2025. Steve Sarkisian is trying to win a national title. And Arch Manning is being told to chill on the heroics. This guy is built for the spotlight but the staff is dimming the stunts. Because if there’s one thing the Longhorns’ offense don’t need right now, it’s their golden-armed, former 5-star faceplanting into defensive linemen on fourth-and-short. 

It all started with a simple question that host Eric Hogan brought up in a new episode on 102.7 ESPN Austin on August 2. “How do you utilize Arch’s legs into the offense but not get him hurt or make sure he protects himself?” The answer came straight from Texas’ co-OC and QB coach AJ Milwee who’s been around since Steve Sarkisian’s arrival in 2021. “From a coaching standpoint, we have to coach (Arch Manning) really well to understand that it doesn’t have to be Superman runs every time,” he said, recalling a 2024 Mississippi State run where he could have slid but decided to take on a shoulder hit instead. “It didn’t hurt him at that point in time,” he added. “But that hit over the course of 15, 16 games, that’s going to take a toll.” One bad decision in September could cost a title in January. And Texas knows it.

AJ Milwee has been riding with Arch Manning since high school. He had the handy cam in New Orleans, tracking the young QB at Isidore Newman HS. He has seen the grind, the preparation, and the weight of legacy on the kid’s shoulders. “That was Arch’s mindset. For a kid like him that started every game that he had ever been a part of since being in high school,” the coach told Inside Texas. “That’s hard for anybody. It’s hard for a competitor.” But that sit-and-soak behind Quinn Ewers might’ve saved him and Texas. And now, the Longhorns might have a full-course QB. But what about the run game?

Perhaps, Matthew Caldwell can cover that. This guy isn’t just a third-stringer. For all we know, he might be Texas’ secret weapon in short-yardage packages. Built like a linebacker, he can run the exact same QB keeper plays without risking the franchise. “Matthew Caldwell’s now come in from Troy,” Eric Hogan said. “I want to run that exact same play, but I don’t want Arch to have to take that hit. Well, my third string quarterback can do it.” In 2024, Caldwell passed for 1,608 yards and 13 TDs while rushing for 47 yards and five TDs on the ground. So, he may just be Arch Manning’s body double for the brutal stuff, giving the Longhorns 11-on-11 football without sacrificing their Heisman candidate. So how is Texas preparing for the upcoming season?

AJ Milwee gives an update on Arch Manning’s preparedness 

At SEC Media Days, Arch Manning gave AJ Milwee flowers. “Milwee, that’s my guy,” he told the media. “He’s hard on us, but he’s a great coach and he doesn’t give out a lot of compliments, but he keeps it real with us.” Steve Sarkisian followed suit. “There’s nobody I work closer with on a daily basis than AJ Milwee,” he said. “From the development of game plans, to the scripting of practice, to talking about play calls during the game, to recruitment of players.” And that trust shows.

In two 2024 starts, after Quinn Ewers went down, Arch Manning threw for 583 yards and four touchdowns, completing 68.3% of his passes. He added four scores on the ground, too. The efficiency’s there, so is the arm talent. The legs are a bonus, not a necessity. But is he really ready? “This kid has prepared himself like he has been a starter, whether he started or not for the last two years,” Milwee said. “So he has put himself in a position to be ready to play that game when that time comes.” Ready enough to lead Texas into Columbus on August 30 to face Ohio State. A program with national title stripes and Big Ten brawn.

Paul Finebaum even made a bold prediction for the Longhorns. “I think the SEC will make it back to the championship game, and I think it’s going to be Texas,” he said on SportsCenter. “I think they may lose one game along the way, but they’re going to be the national champion when it’s over.” It’s not baseless. Texas made the semis two years in a row. This roster is stacked. If the QB survives the season upright, the SEC may finally reclaim the trophy from the Big Ten. And maybe, just maybe, stepping back isn’t Arch Manning’s setback. It’s Texas setting the plan. Because if you’re going to storm the SEC, you better make sure your king stays standing.