When a coach hints that his star quarterback might pass on the NFL and return to college, ears perk up. When that quarterback wears Texas orange, the buzz only gets louder. And now, Steve Sarkisian has everyone talking after admitting he wouldn’t be shocked if his Longhorns QB decides to run it back for another season in Austin. On the Up & Adams show, Steve Sarkisian addressed questions about star QB Arch Manning’s potential fifth year and told Texas fans how prepared they should be for that possibility.

“You know, we haven’t had the discussion, but I will tell you, I would not be surprised,” he told Kay Adams on the Up & Adams show. “I think Arch really loves college football, I really do. I think he loves the University of Texas. He does pretty well through NIL, you know, he’s got some pretty good endorsements going right now, which is a credit to him and obviously the lineage of the last name and the brand of the University of Texas, all of those things coming together. On the same token, I won’t be surprised if he declares and decides to go into the draft. But I think some of that depends on how we play as a team this fall and how he plays individually. Knock on wood, injury-free football.”

Arch Manning is one of the most popular names in college football, and he has earned the hype. As a starter last year for the Longhorns, he had a rocky start to the season, but he eventually led his team to a good finish; just a pinch more, and they would have landed in the CFPs. Manning threw for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns, and seven interceptions last season, completing 61.4 percent of his passes.

Money hasn’t been Manning’s priority, unlike many college QBs, given his NIL wealth. Manning, given the legacy he comes from, could easily ask for a killer salary, but instead, he agreed to just $2 million, providing financial relief to the program. Through NIL deals, though, he is earning a respectable salary of around $5.9 million. Now it all comes down to how this season will look for the Longhorns. The ultimate goal for any college player is to win the Natty, of course, and the other would be to see how Manning would play this season. If he ends up putting great stats on the board, then staying for college would not look like an option.

If Manning has a strong 2026 season, he could become the first overall pick in 2027. That opens a four- year contract with an NFL team, which is what most players come to football for. The contract also adds $50 million to his bank account. No matter how much Manning might love college football, the salary of being the first overall pick and the dream of playing in the NFL are hard to refuse.

How did Arch Manning look in spring practice?

Manning had to undergo a small foot surgery after recurring pain in his foot since 2024, when he suffered a minor injury. Sarkisian limited Manning’s practice reps to protect him from injury, knowing that Texas players don’t go easy during practice. Even with limited practice while recovering from surgery, Manning appeared briefly in the spring scrimmage. But he is all set now for the upcoming season that kicks off soon.

“I feel 100% right now,” said Manning, who has played sparingly in spring practices. “We’re kind of taking it slow, but if we had a game today, I’d be playing.”

The best investment the Texas Longhorns made for Arch Manning this offseason was getting Cam Coleman to Austin. After a long bidding war with neighboring foes like Tech and the Aggies, the Longhorns sealed the deal with $3 million in NIL, and the QB is also happy with recruitment.

“He’s an elite player, and he wants to be good, which is the most encouraging thing,” Manning said of Coleman. It’ll be interesting to see what awaits Arch Manning this season.