Arch Manning carries a name that has been part of football for generations. After Texas fell to Oklahoma, Steve Sarkisian said the family name had become a distraction, with people paying less attention to Arch’s own progress. Dan Patrick wasn’t buying that argument.
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“We’re not throwing a pity party here for Arch. Is he overcovered? Yes,” Dan Patrick said on his October 13 Show. “Therefore, he’s overrated, but he gets a lot of attention because his name is Manning. Here are some numbers for you.”
Patrick pointed to Arch Manning’s stats and compared them to Northwestern QB Aidan Chiles. Manning ranks 65th nationally in passing yards, 39th in passing touchdowns, and 44th in QBR.
Chiles, though, is 58th in passing yards, 45th in passing touchdowns, and 26th nationally in QBR. With that, Dan Patrick tried to counter Steve Sarkisian’s argument that he employed after the Oklahoma loss.
Speaking to reporters Monday, Sarkisian pointed to Texas’ 27-24 loss to Oklahoma and asked them to look at Manning’s record without the family name attached.
Sarkisian used “Joe Smith” as an example, saying a quarterback with four wins over top-10 teams in his last 13 starts would be getting plenty of credit. Manning, Sarkisian felt, was being judged far more harshly.
Archie Manning is Arch’s grandfather, and Peyton and Eli are his uncles. That family history follows him into every game. When he plays well, people compare him with the Mannings who came before him.
When he struggles, the criticism spreads well beyond Texas. A quarterback from a less famous family would likely face much less scrutiny. Still, Arch will have to live with the comparisons that come with his surname.
If he wants to be judged among the best quarterbacks, his performances will draw scrutiny, whether the attention is fair or not. The Oklahoma game is the most recent example.
Arch Manning threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-31 passes against Oklahoma, but the fourth quarter undid much of that work. He threw two interceptions in the final period.
Oklahoma returned the first for a touchdown to take the lead, then picked him off again late in the game. That second turnover helped put Tate Sandell in position to kick a 47-yard field goal as time expired.
Texas took its first loss of the season, and the next AP poll dropped the Longhorns from No. 1 to No. 7. Texas still had a chance after Oklahoma went up 24-17. Arch moved the Longhorns 75 yards and found Jermaine Bishop Jr. for a touchdown, tying the score with 6:32 left.
Sarkisian wanted that drive to count for something in the wider judgment of his quarterback. Patrick, however, kept coming back to the two fourth-quarter interceptions.
“He didn’t play well in the Ohio State game until the very end, and then they got that win. But he’s supposed to be great,” Patrick said. “I’m surprised that Sark makes it seem like guys are unfair to him. He’s being projected as the best quarterback in college football. And he’s been there. He’s not a freshman. He probably should come back one more year. Maybe there is an Eli situation here.”
Texas has enough talent at receiver to make life easier for Manning, yet the offense has been too uneven. The loss to Oklahoma also had little to do with him alone.
A blocked punt went back for a touchdown, penalties hurt Texas, and the Longhorns failed to make the most of a late chance. Sarkisian is right to point out what Manning has done well, but that does not excuse the team’s other failures.
Florida is next at home, followed by Ole Miss and the rest of Texas’ SEC schedule. The loss to Oklahoma leaves little room for more slip-ups.
Arch Manning can still put Texas back on track, but he’ll need to take better care of the ball late in games. Big throws will get attention. Avoiding the mistakes that cost Texas against Oklahoma matters just as much.