Sometimes you know they have the talent. But when that talent doesn’t execute, you get frustrated. And then you start to dig into the ‘why’. That’s Steve Sarkisian right now. Three weeks into the season, Arch Manning is still a mystery box that Texas can’t quite decipher. The HC swears the version of Manning he sees on Monday through Thursday is not the one jogging out of the tunnel on Saturdays. So why is the flip switching the wrong way? 

Manning entered 2025 as a preseason Heisman favorite and an NFL mock draft darling. Now, he’s sitting at 579 passing yards, six touchdowns, and three picks through three games. Toss in the three rushing scores, and the stat line still feels incomplete. And with Texas sitting at No. 8 in the rankings, the critics are circling. Sure, 2-1 looks fine on paper, but the brand of football hasn’t matched the preseason billing of a playoff contender. That’s why the microscope has shifted from hype to hardware, not the trophies, but the mechanics.

On September 18, Texas tackle Trevor Goosby admitted on X that the disconnect comes down to the environment. “I think just kind of the atmosphere is a little bit different from practice,” he said. “But once we get that down and realize, ‘Hey, this is just like practice,’ I think we’ll be a much better off team.” So until Manning treats Saturdays like a Tuesday scrimmage, the nerves and missed reads will keep showing up. 

“I would say we get a little different version [of Manning] in practice,” Steve Sarkisian told Inside Texas. “That ability to take Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and play with that same kind of confidence and intent on Saturday. That’s the part for us, is that we see and know what it looks like. My goal is that you all get to see that.” That may sound easy, but if it were, Texas wouldn’t be staring at a QB who was hyped as the next Tim Tebow but is currently completing just 55.3% of his throws. That gap between hype and production is what’s fueling the noise. 

Analysts try to read Arch Manning’s game

Remember the preseason warnings? If Arch Manning, with all the hype, enters and throws a pick, the whole media world will be upon him. And that’s come true where analysts give their own takes on the QB’s early struggles. While fans wonder if the Manning guy is battling some hidden injury, analysts like Chase Daniel are pinning the struggles on mechanics. “His feet not being in the right spot, his arm angle not being in the right spot, to him grimacing when he throws the football,” he said on The Dan Patrick Show. “I don’t think he’s hurt. I just think [it’s] his motion and his throwing angle of his shoulder. I feel like everything’s completely off.”

Jesse Palmer echoed the same concerns, calling Arch Manning’s “mechanics have been pretty poor up this point.” The talent flashes, but the foundation looks shaky. Even the QB himself admitted the problem is between the ears more than in the arm. “Probably mentally,” he said. “Like I just need to go out there and play my game. I know the type of athlete and type of player I am. Just go cut it loose and have some fun, play ball.” And fun might finally be on the schedule this weekend. Texas, 39.5-point favorites, hosts Sam Houston State in what should be the perfect get-right game.

If Arch Manning can turn his practice performance into game-day wins, the Longhorns could start to feel like a national championship contender. You never know.