Last year, this time, ESPN’s critical voice, Paul Finebaum, voted for Arch Manning to win the Heisman. A year has passed by, and things are no longer the same for Manning. So far into week 9, Manning has racked up 1,795 yards and 15 touchdowns. At the same time, the quarterback has turned into an interception magnet, receiving 6 interceptions. As if it were not enough woes on Manning’s plate, he is now under concussion protocol before the Vanderbilt game. That’s when a college football insider is ready with his tape to show Finebaum some of Manning’s flaws. 

On October 28, Brooks Austin shared a clip of his interview with Finebaum, as he dived deep into Manning’s game play. After all, the Texas quarterback rose to action with his fabulous play against Mississippi State. He led the Longhorns from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to a 45-38 overtime triumph over the Bulldogs. The discussion started with the overtime play. “And a lot of people wonder, hey, what happened? How did they suddenly find this surge offensively?” the analyst sets the tone. 

Austin then broke down a key third-down situation for Texas—specifically 3rd and 6. That’s what’s called a “manageable” down and distance; it’s short enough that the offense can still run quick, short routes rather than deep, risky ones. Manning has the accuracy and poise to make quick throws on plays like 3rd and 6, but when the offense falls behind the chains and faces 3rd and 10 or more, protection issues expose him. In this particular play, Texas designed a short passing route to DeAndre Moore that perfectly attacked Mississippi State’s coverage.

“They take two for one and now DeAndre Moore is ultimately going to hook up but this type of stuff, Paul, where we have defenders hitting us at the catch point at 6 yards,” pointed out Austin. The point receiver ran upfield to occupy two defenders, creating a brief miscommunication in the secondary. Even though defenders hit Moore right at the catch point, the design ensured that Manning could still move the offense without relying on risky deep throws. How does all this expose Manning’s cracks in the game play?

“We’re going to get pressure; everything about this offense has been receiving pressure,” said Austin. This means Manning is playing behind a line that doesn’t always give him time to breathe. He often cracks under chaos as defenders close in, and the quarterback’s pocket composure wavers. The end result? Manning rushes into things and ended up receiving forced checkdowns, mistimed throws, and missed deep shots. So, the quarterback now walks on a thin line. If the Longhorns keep drives manageable, Manning is all fine. If they slip into long third downs, it’s a slippery path for the quarterback. For now, Steve Sarkisian is counting on his backup.

Steve Sarkisian’s backup plan as Arch Manning remains limited

Manning simultaneously had one of the best and worst nights in their face-off against Mississippi State. He came up with some fabulous stats- a career high 29 passes on 46 attempts (63.0%). However, at the same time, he was ejected from the game midway as he took a hit. Ryan Niblett electrified the crowd with a dazzling 79-yard punt return that knotted the score at 38 apiece. But just as overtime began to buzz with hope, disaster struck. There came the Longhorns quarterback, who took a crushing hit on a 13-yard scramble. As per the latest update, a three-day ultimatum hangs above Manning’s head. 

Nash Talk Texas reported, “Here is the concussion protocol checklist that Arch Manning needs to clear, it’s a 6 step checklist that typically takes a day to clear each step If symptoms return, he must revert to the previous step He would need to have a non-contact practice by Thursday at the latest.”

Even though Sarkisian is worried about Manning’s injury status, he masked it well, pinning high hopes on his backup quarterback, Matthew Caldwell. The young chap had proved his skills, filling in Manning’s shoes. He delivered a clutch 10-yard touchdown strike to Emmett Mosley in overtime against Mississippi State. 

And Steve Sarkisian is already sold on his backup. The head coach said,  “He’s very engaged even when he doesn’t play. If you ever watched our sidelines in-game, 18 is probably the most engaged player on those sidelines. He’s always picking guys up, offense, defense, special teams.” And that’s how things flipped overnight for Arch Manning as he now awaits a fitness clearance.