Rare that Oklahoma football has anything nice to say about Texas. Both will meet in the historic 121st Red River Rivalry game aiming to knock each other out. Yet Brent Venables gushed over Arch Manning for this reason.
He praised the grit of the Longhorns quarterback amid a rough start to the 2025 season. The head coach spoke about Manning's toughness via Barkley Truax of On3/Rivals Thursday.
“Very talented, tough kid,” Venables began. “I loved how he battled and was able to bring his team back last week on the road in Gainesville — it’s a very difficult place to play.”
Manning indeed nearly willed his Texas team to victory. But the Gators managed to pull the upset and add to a rigid '25 campaign for Manning and the ‘Horns.
Brent Venables still taking Arch Manning seriously before Oklahoma-Texas
The third-year OU head coach watched an energized Gators team that took Manning/Texas seriously.
“They (Florida) were charged up and excited to see Texas. And man, I just appreciate and respect the courage that I watched him play with as a young player. And hadn’t been in that position really much, if at all,” Venables said.
He's not seeing a QB struggling despite what the nation has witnessed.
“I thought, again, what you saw even on tape at Ohio State, where he got within a score, having a chance to go win there. Same thing last week,” Venables said.
Manning now must deal with Venables' top pass rusher, R Mason Thomas, on Saturday. He's best known for delivering two sacks on former OU quarterback Jackson Arnold on Sept. 20.
Meanwhile, Venables is dealing with an unhealthy quarterback. Oklahoma QB John Mateer is dealing with a hand ailment that included surgery. Yet Mateer is aiming to play in his first-ever Red River Rivalry game.
