Prior to the 2025 college football season, Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning was widely viewed as a Heisman Trophy candidate and potentially the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, recently, the Texas QB was not even on Mel Kiper Jr.'s 2026 NFL Draft Big Board.
It's been an up-and-down season for Manning, who threw just 170 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the 14-7 loss to Ohio State in Week 1.
Manning then threw for 263 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions while being sacked six times in the loss to Florida, so it's been a weird year for the Texas star.
Still, his preparation is something he is working on still, even amid the disappointing season.
During his weekly Zoom session, Sarkisian spoke about Manning's preparation on how he has handled things despite the slow start.
“Do his habits change? His did not,” Sarkisian said Thursday, via Joe Cook of On3. “Arch prepares. He works at his craft. He’s in the building. He meeting with Coach Milwee. He’s meeting with Coach Bimonte. He’s doing extra work after practice, working on specific routes with guys on the team of ‘hey, we want to make sure we get this right.’ He’s making audibles. He’s making checks. He’s taking command of the huddle. I don’t think there’s been a sigh of relief from Arch. I think it’s been more of we’ve got to drill deeper.”
So, even during a rough stretch, Manning is still working hard and doing what he is supposed to be doing.
In the Red River Rivalry win over Oklahoma, Manning threw 166 yards with a score, and Texas faces Kentucky and then Mississippi State in a pair of road games before a top-25 matchup with Diego Pavia and Vanderbilt.
So, despite the rocky start and two losses, Manning is still working hard to try and be the best he can be, Heisman Trophy buzz or not.
