The Arch Manning experience hasn’t gone well. So far. Neither for Texas nor for the third-generation Manning. The latest edition saw him fail against Florida at the Swamp. In hindsight, some of it can also be put on poor O-line and receiver play. But they won’t be in the headline. That’s limited to Coach Sark and Arch. Next up, the Longhorns have the Red River showdown against the Sooners. And people are concerned.

In the recent episode of The Triple Option podcast, hosts Rob Stone, Mark Ingram, and Urban Meyer discussed the woes plaguing Arch Manning. Mark started on an empathetic note. “We put a lot on Arch Manning just because his last name is Manning.”

Although there would always be a lot of expectation, Meyer was among the few people who had stressed balance before the start of the season. He recalled, “I said a few times… I think it was on Colin Cowherd; pump the brakes now… I mean I went back and watched all 48 snaps, whatever they were, from a year ago, and he’s fine. I mean, he’s but fine.”

Meyer stated that progression is the real issue. He mentioned his past players, Tim Tebow, JT Barrett, Alex Smith, and Dwayne Haskins, who improved notably each week, and added, “After five games, you should start to see that progression, that’s what happens to really good quarterbacks.”

But that’s not the case with Manning. He has definitely shown some promise with 11 touchdowns, 1,158 yards, and a few clutch runs, but the inconsistency persists. He led Texas in running and passed for 263 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions against Florida. The issue? Throughout the night, he was under siege, being sacked six times and under pressure for an insane 35 times, which is the most ever under Sarkisian. No quarterback can “progress” while he is running for his life every third play.

The most striking contrast the hosts made was that of Ohio State’s QB situation: “You see it with your boy at Ohio State. He’s developed each from the first game to the fifth and sixth game. You see him, there’s a progression going,” Ingram said.

Manning has yet to benefit from his supporting cast, which includes a slow receiving corps and a shaky O-line. Steve Sarkisian himself has admitted that the attack still lacks a rhythm and tempo. Although critics are quick to call Manning overrated, the truth is much more complex. He’s not a scapegoat that will magically save Texas; he is just a young, developing QB who is still figuring things out.

Kirk Herbstreit drops harsh truth on Arch Manning

This year, the Texas Longhorns were expected to be the team that finally channeled all of the preseason hype into a drive for a national title. With a great talent pool and a top preseason AP Poll ranking, it appeared like Steve Sarkisian had built an outstanding roster that was prepared to dominate the tables. But Texas has already dropped out of the Top 25 for the first time since 2022 after only six weeks. At 3-2, the goal of winning the Natty feels more like a joke. And when things are going south, everyone is pointing towards Sark’s $5.5 million QB, Arch Manning.

When discussing the Longhorns’ current situation, Kirk Herbstreit bluntly referred to it as “the Great Mystery of 2025.” He and Joey Galloway immediately jumped into the tricky question: “In today’s world, with NIL, transfer portal, the money, all these things, could you bench Arch Manning?” Herbstreit praised backup Matthew Caldwell’s only snap, saying, “I saw Matthew Caldwell come in and throw an absolute strike… a laser, a dart.”

Even though that one throw had no impact on the box score, it has already led to division of opinions in Longhorn Nation. Everyone is immediately talking about Caldwell, a Troy transfer, while Manning struggles to level up his game.

“Arch is just the tip of the spear… he just looks indecisive and unsure,” Galloway said. And honestly, that sounds true. Although Manning has shown flashes, slips are also mounting at an alarming rate. His two interceptions in the fourth quarter against Florida stopped Texas’ momentum and gave Billy Napier a victory he probably didn’t expect. The rushing game hasn’t helped either, and the O-line has been a complete wreck. But win against Oklahoma, and some of it may be forgotten.