Arch Manning’s first year as a starter didn’t go as well as he’d hoped. It didn’t help the QB that there was massive hype before he suited up as the QB1 for the Longhorns. Heading into the 2026 season, the hype has considerably reduced, and behind the scenes, Arch has continued to work on its flaws. The possibility of a better season doubled down with former Texas head coach Mack Brown’s revelation of the redshirt junior QB’s hidden advantage.

“The biggest factor to me is Arch’s legs,” said Brown during his July 1 appearance on The Stampede. “We talk about it, but the offense changed when Arch started pulling the ball down and running, because everybody slows down with their blitzes; they slow down with their protection. Same with Vince [Young] and Colt [McCoy].”

“When you can run a quarterback, it’s an extra player they are not prepared for, so then do you get a guy that just sits in there and shadows him? Then that takes him out of the passing game, and it makes so much difference,” added Brown.

Brown led the Longhorns to a national championship in 2005 on the back of an undefeated regular season. During his tenure, he worked with several dual-threat QBs. Vince Young, in particular, was such a strange phenomenon for college football. The QB could terrorize with both his arm and his legs. Arch hasn’t yet produced the same numbers as Young, but for Brown, his game can rise to those levels, especially when it comes to using his legs.

“Arch can run much better than Quinn. Quinn was an adequate runner, but Arch can run, and he runs like his granddad,” said Brown.

Arch’s granddad, Archie Manning, was an All-American QB in the 1960s and led Ole Miss to national prominence with his running. One of the historic moments came in 1969 when legendary QB Archie Manning beat Alabama in a 33-32 game, rushing for 104 yards. Now, it’s Arch’s turn to lead Texas to a playoff run in Steve Sarkisian’s sixth season with the program.

In 2025, the QB’s dual-threat ability helped the Longhorns to defeat Michigan in a bowl game, where Arch Manning rushed for 155 yards and 2 TDs. Compared to Quinn Ewers, that is one part of Arch’s game that the Longhorns can truly exploit.

Mack Brown’s praise for Arch Manning

Oddsmakers placed Arch Manning as a 2025 Heisman favorite. But at the end of the campaign, he wasn’t even a finalist. This offseason, Manning worked on his weak areas, and his qualities impressed the former Texas head coach.

“I’m so impressed with Arch because he’ll listen. He will ask questions. He’ll ask me questions at practice,” said Brown during his appearance on THE STAMPEDE on July 1. “He wants to learn and he’s very careful and he’s very smart. He’s always very classy and handles himself with the media. He’s also learning to be a leader, and that’s a difficult thing when you’re a Manning because everybody says he gets all the attention, so he’s got to handle that locker room.”

The praise matters, as Brown knows what it takes to be a legitimate title contender. During his tenure, he led Texas to nine straight 10-win seasons and completed his journey with 158 victories across sixteen seasons.

Meanwhile, Arch’s last name often became the reason for criticism, but he showed that his talent is a major factor in his being in the Heisman conversation. But will his prowess lead Texas to a title run this season?