There is one player in Texas who stands out! Arch Manning’s got lightning-fast feet, and his HC Steve Sarkisian knows it well! But even if he tried to tell people how agile this 19-year-old redshirt freshman is, not many considered his claim valid until their Week 3 UTSA game. 

The second quarter of the game dimmed the Longhorns’ expectations for a brief moment when QB Quinn Ewers walked into the sidelines tent with an abdomen strain. But backup QB Arch Manning immediately rekindled the hope with a 19-yard touchdown pass on the next snap followed by an incredible run that would validate his HC’s claims.

Prior to the 2023 regular season, Steve Sarkisian voiced the talent of his freshman QB saying, “I think he hit 20 miles an hour (in a s rimmage), which was pretty impressive.” Talent evaluator Cory Yates of Reel Analytics shared a post of Arch Manning’s spectacular record on X on September 16 with the caption, “Steve Sarkisian told us Arch Manning hit 20 mph during practice in August. We were skeptical until now.” 

The shared post by Reel Analytics featured Manning’s highlight when he scored the incredible 67-running-yard touchdown in the second quarter of the game with unmatched speed and agility. According to the caption, Arch Manning gives one Rams defender a miss while clocking 20.7 mph with that speed to the end zone, a record which surpassed Sarkisian’s claims and even the fantasies of his uncles.

Arch Manning’s running skills steal the spotlight

Arch Manning may have uncles like Eli and Peyton Manning who were considered NFL greats but neither of them is remembered for their running plays. In contrast, the new generation QB’s run is topped by only two Texas QBs — Vince Young with 80 yards in 2005 and Bret Stafford with 74 yards in 1985. After the game, the Longhorns backup QB said, “When adrenaline kicks in, it helps you run a little bit faster. But I credit that to Torre Becton, our head weight coach, he runs our tails off in the summer, so I think I’ve gotten a little bit faster since I’ve gotten on campus.”

With such talent in the team, Texas is in good hands considering they’re dominating each game this season. They opened their season opener by thrashing CSU with a 52-0 blowout victory. They defeated the reigning national champions Michigan in a 31-12 thriller. Their last 56-7 win against UTSA proved that Texas is prepared for any unexpected hurdles that could diminish their playoff chances. As of now, they look like a strong CFP team.