Earlier this season, Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning found himself in the NFL conversation. Well, back then, he was yet to prove himself in Steve Sarkisian’s camp as the QB1. But New Orleans Saints insider Nader Mirfiq dropped a teaser on X: “2026 NFL Mock Draft. 👀⚜️. By the 2026 NFL Draft, the Saints could be looking for a young quarterback to replace Derek Carr.” So, obviously, he had been cruising through when it came to Heisman hype, as well. But fast forward to the last few months of the year, Manning is no longer getting positive attention, but only boos. They sealed a 27-10 win against UTEP, but even then, Manning was dragged through the mud. The quarterback poured his heart out in the post-game presser. 

Before the 2025 season pulled its curtain, someone had already made a bold prediction about Manning. DawgNation’s Kaylee Mansell said on That SEC podcast, “My bold take is Arch Manning does not make the Heisman Trophy ceremony.” Heisman or not, it seems Manning is now busy resolving a different (and perhaps a bigger) problem.

On September 15, sports anchor Cory Mose shared a clip from Manning’s post-game interview where the quarterback was asked if his struggles are more mental or physical. “Probably mental, to be honest. Like, I think I just need to go out there and play my game. I know the type of athlete and type of player I am. Just go cut it loose and have some fun, play ball.” 

September 13 was just another ugly outing for Manning. His passing numbers? Disastrous. 11-of-25 passing, 114 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. What appeared more concerning was how the quarterback held the ball for too long and made wobbly throws. So, in case of speed, strengths, and throwing scheme, he must still be chasing perfection. But his confidence, mindset, and focus are what’re bothering him. 

And as always, Sarkisian is holding his hand to take him out of the dark tunnel. He ensures that Manning sees the light at the end of it and considers himself to be blessed for being put on the toughest path. The HC said, “I think some of this is really good, here’s a guy who’s had an awesome life… But I think you learn a lot about yourself through adversity and overcoming adversity and getting on the other side of adversity… I think all of this serves not only well for him but well for us as a team.” And it’s not just Sarkisian. Another Texas coach was seen verbally boosting Manning up as the quarterback cut through a passage surrounded by booing fans. 

Arch Manning’s fall from cheers to boos and being the laughing stock

In their latest face-off against UTEP, Sarkisian himself could not push Manning’s problems under the carpet. “We couldn’t find the rhythm in the passing game the way we would have liked,” the head coach accepted. “We couldn’t create explosive plays. He [Manning] didn’t convert makeable third downs and fourth downs, and it took the wind out of our sails and out of the stadium.” Now, if the head coach can no longer fully protect Manning, think about the fans.

After all, we have seen how they rooted for their quarterback star. But Manning’s lofty image might have crumbled down after he failed to complete 10 straight passes in the first half. What fanned the heat was three of Texas’ first four drives getting stalled, ending either on downs or with an interception. So, somehow, Manning’s pair of rushing touchdowns got buried under his faults. As the boos meter kept rising at the Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium, Texas coordinator Michael Bimonte safely escorted Manning off the gridiron. 

While that saved him from the fans’ backlash on the field, Manning became the hot topic in the post-game discussions. So much so that the NFL duo with 14 combined Pro-Bowl honors, Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, shared a good laugh talking about the latest member of the Manning legacy.  

On the NightCap podcast, Sharpe pointed out the statistical side of Arch Manning’s resume: “At halftime, Arch completed 5/16 of 69 yards, one interception. Frustrations mounted inside the stadium as [the] Bulls rang out following a 10th consecutive incompletion late in the first half.” He then made the honest admission, “You wouldn’t even have these expectations if his last name wasn’t what it was. So, stop playing.” Johnson then stirred up some humor, “You wouldn’t even have these expectations if his last name wasn’t what it was. So, stop playing.” Let’s see how Manning paints over the cracks in the coming days.