Steve Sarkisian Publicly Calls Out Arch Manning Flaws As AP Voter Vows To Bring Texas Down

The college football world is buzzing. And Arch Manning is at the center of a heated storm following Texas’ narrow 14-7 loss to Ohio State. What was supposed to be an electrifying debut for one of the most hyped quarterback prospects of recent years turned into a frustrating game that left the entire CFB fraternity taking shots. That’s because Manning’s performance against the Buckeyes just didn’t hit the mark. Completing 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, he struggled to find rhythm against Ohio State’s suffocating defense. Some even faced a six-figure loss while betting on the wrong team. So you can imagine why the reaction across the board has been intense.

But it’s a whole different kind of sting when those critiques don’t just come from outsiders but from your own head coach. Steve Sarkisian’s very public calls out put Manning in a tough spot. Sarkisian pointed out moments in the Ohio State game where Arch Manning didn’t bring his feet in line with where he wanted to throw, leading to a sidearm delivery that simply isn’t his natural style. “There were a couple of times where we had some crossing routes where I didn’t feel like he brought his feet to where he wanted to throw the ball. Which in turn forced kind of a sidearm delivery, which isn’t his style of throwing,” Sarkisian said.

Early in the game, Manning was 5-for-10 for just 26 yards in the first half. He was struggling to get comfortable and make clean throws. The Ohio State defense forced him to move around, and his lack of proper foot alignment on some plays led to some off-target throws. Those crossing routes Sarkisian mentioned required precise timing and trust, but Manning instead looked back for the receiver. That caused his feet and shoulders to misalign and forced the sidearm. The stat line revealed a deeper problem. Manning finished with a troubling off-target rate of 37%, the worst for a Texas QB in a decade. His completions on attempts stat highlights inconsistency. “I think it all started to when we throw crossers,” Sarkisian added.

“We don’t look for the crosser. We read the defenders, trusting that the crosser is going to come to the window he’s supposed to be. I felt like he looked back for the crosser.” In theory, quarterbacks are supposed to trust their receivers to hit the right spot on crossing routes. But Arch seemed to do the opposite at times. One crucial moment that stands out came in the late stages of the fourth quarter. On a critical third-and-five from midfield, Manning threw a crossing route that sailed behind receiver Ryan Wingo, missing a real chance to move the chains and keep the comeback alive. “Part of that is just finding that comfort level of trust with receivers in real games, right?” Sarkisian explains.

“Not in practice, not against a scout team, but in a real game against a good defense because the windows get small against good defenses like that.” It was the Buckeyes’ elite defense making the windows to complete passes incredibly tight, forcing Arch Manning into a pressure cooker situation. They operated primarily out of a 4–2–5 base defense. That means four defensive linemen, two linebackers, and five defensive backs. Their scheme is designed to neutralize both the run and pass while putting relentless pressure on the quarterback. Manning was 0-for-5 on passes longer than five yards in the first three quarters and struggled to generate explosive plays early on. And aggressive OSU pass rushers like JT Tuimoloau and J.T. Sawyer applied pressure on Manning. Thus, he had little time to set his feet or settle into a rhythm.

However, there was a noticeable shift in the fourth quarter after halftime adjustments. Arch Manning’s confidence grew, and he started throwing more accurately. He connected on key plays like a 32-yard touchdown to Parker Livingstone and a 28-yard gain to Wingo.

AP voter ready to shake up the rankings

Texas came into the 2025 college football season with all the confidence in the world. They were proudly sitting at No. 1 in the AP Poll. But all that buzz took a sharp hit after their close 14-7 loss to No. 3 Ohio State in the season opener. For many, this loss would have shaken Texas from its pedestal. Yet, despite the defeat, the Longhorns are still expected to retain their No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll. The reason? Strength of schedule.

Thanks to a revamped metric by the College Football Playoff committee that values playing and beating hard opponents. Their consistency over the last few seasons and impressive recruiting have also earned them plenty of respect among voters. However, not everyone is content with Texas holding onto the top spot after the loss. An AP voter has vocally vowed to bring Texas down in the rankings and push Ohio State to No. 1 instead.

I am an AP voter, NBC sports insider Nicole Auerbach writes on X. And I will be voting Ohio State as my No. 1 team in the country when I submit my ballot tonight. See, a win is a win, and Ohio State’s victory over the top-ranked Longhorns proves it. Critics point out that Texas’s offense struggled. Obviously, people will have immense doubts about whether the Longhorns can live up to the hype with such shaky performances early in the season.