It's Official: Arch Manning Gets First Career Start For Texas Against Cupcake

Published|Updated

It always seemed likely after Texas Longhorns starting quarterback Quinn Ewers went down with an injury during last week's win over UTSA, but Arch Manning is officially QB1 at Texas.

READ: It's Arch Manning Time In Texas; Quinn Ewers ‘Week To Week’ With Abdominal Strain

Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian announced on Thursday that Manning would take over as the starting quarterback for Saturday's game against the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. The official Texas X account posted a photo of Manning with a simple, "Let's ride."

Arch Manning

ANN ARBOR, MI - SEPTEMBER 07: Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) looks on before a college football game against the Michigan Wolverines on September 07, 2024 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

What Does Arch Manning Bring To The Table For Texas On Saturday?

Manning generally played well against UTSA last week, especially considering he was put into the game unexpectedly. On his first series, he threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Moore, before taking off for a 67-yard touchdown run on the very next drive. 

But Manning's most impressive contributions might have been his ability to make accurate throws deep down the field on the run. Yes, he was playing against UTSA, but as Tom Fornelli pointed out, his arm strength and ball placement out of the pocket was impressive. Early in the fourth quarter, Manning took the snap, rolled out and threw the ball 40-yards down field across his body into the perfect position for a big completion to Ryan Wingo.

That's the kind of athleticism, accuracy and arm strength that made Caleb Williams the first overall draft pick. 

UTSA isn't the toughest opponent, and Louisiana-Monroe are 44.5 point underdogs ahead of Saturday, so Manning won't be tested much this weekend either. The more pressing question though, is what happens if Ewers remains out for an extended period of time.

RELATED: Arch Manning's Heisman Stock Is Rising, And That's A Ridiculous Bet To Consider | Barrett Sallee

Texas plays a middling Mississippi State team on September 28th, but a massive Red River Shootout against Oklahoma looms on October 12th. Manning against UTSA though, completed 9/12 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns while adding 53 yards on the ground and that long touchdown run. Maybe there won't be much of a dropoff at all.