Subscribe
Follow Us
When starting quarterback Quinn Ewers went down with an apparent injury on the afternoon of Saturday, September 14, that sound you heard in the college football world was the collective gasp of Texas Longhorns fans worldwide. Ewers missing significant time could be the catalyst for the downfall of the Longhorns this season. Yet, fans were quickly able to find some comfort in the dominating performance of highly touted backup Arch Manning.
For most teams, losing their starting quarterback would be a death sentence. However, Texas is unique because of the presence of Manning.
Arch Manning showed why the hype is real in his first taste of college football
In his first taste of meaningful college football, Manning demonstrated just why there’s so much hype around his arrival at the University of Texas and why he’s considered a potential first-overall NFL draft pick in the future.
Manning demonstrated an ability to make every throw that could be asked of him, from lofting deep passes and dropping the ball right into the receivers' breadbasket to layering bullets in between multiple levels of defenders. Manning showcased exceptional accuracy and demonstrated an impressive ability to put zip on the ball when the throw required it.
Not all passes need to be thrown as hard as possible, and indeed, putting extra unnecessary velocity on a pass can sometimes be detrimental. Manning showcased an excellent understanding of when to throw a rocket and when to make a softer toss that put his receiver in an ideal position to catch the pass and gain extra yardage after the catch.
Manning frequently hit his receiver in stride, which put his teammates in the best possible position to gain extra yardage.
On his very first pass of the game after taking over for Ewers, Manning unleashed a 19-yard touchdown strike to DeAndre Moore.
He was highly efficient, throwing for more than 250 yards and completing 75% of his passes. Manning didn’t need to do too much, and he did exactly what was asked of him to put his team in position for a blowout victory.
Manning is just scratching the surface of what he is capable of
It feels like we’re just scratching the surface of what Manning is capable of, though, and that’s what should excite Longhorns’ fans more than anything else. Manning excelled in the role that he was tasked with, but he gave plenty of optimism that he can do much more.
He did a great job of knowing what was needed from him and getting the job done. Many young quarterbacks would’ve felt the need to go above and beyond to prove themselves, especially if they had the last name and bloodlines that Manning does. Unfortunately, that strategy can often backfire, leading players to get themselves and their team into trouble.
It takes a certain level of maturity to understand what your team needs from you and to have a laser focus on getting the job done. It’s clear that Manning is wise beyond his years not just from a talent perspective, but in terms of maturity as well. Yet, despite not doing more than what was necessary to get the easy victory, Manning demonstrated plenty of tools for fans, coaches, and scouts alike to dream about. It’s easy to see a future where Manning is slicing up SEC defenses towards the end of the year, putting NFL-caliber throws on tape every drive and methodically dismantling the defense.
The Texas football QB can run the ball too
In the past few weeks, Arch’s uncle, NFL legend Peyton Manning, had slyly hinted that Arch had one skill which differentiated him from his famous family: his ability to run the ball and make things happen on the ground with his legs. Arch quickly demonstrated that Peyton wasn’t exaggerating when he made these claims, as the Longhorns quarterback took off for a 67-yard touchdown run shortly after coming into the game.
It wasn’t just a breakdown in the defense, though, but this play was much more impressive. Arch made a deceptive fake, beat the defense to the edge, put a move on a defender and then outran the rest of the defense to find the endzone. He reached a top speed of just over 20 mph on this run.
Manning has already built a rapport with his receiving corps
Often times, when a backup quarterback comes into the game, there’s a clear one between the new signal caller and the starting receivers. They aren’t used to playing together, and it can understandably take time to develop a connection. That wasn’t a problem for Arch in his first real college playing time, though. It was clear that he had prepared for this moment and has had opportunities to work with the starting unit of pass catchers.
It’s as if his receivers knew exactly where he wanted them to go, and Manning knew where his pass catchers wanted the ball to do the most damage. It was as if they had been playing together for years, rather than this being their first time together.
Whether this is practice or just Manning’s natural talent, experience growing up in an NFL family and knowledge of the game shining through we don’t yet know. Either way, it’s a good thing for Texas.
I’m not sure which option should scare opposing teams more, but either way, Texas’ upcoming college football opponents are in a world of trouble if Manning keeps up this level of play.
