Steve Sarkisian Says The Quiet Part Out Loud About Arch Manning And Transferring

Arch Manning is still a Texas Longhorn. Can you believe it?

After … 18 months … a college football player, who hasn't yet started a game, is still with the same program he originally put pen to paper with. Wild. Insane. 

Obviously, it's not. Well, it didn't used to be. A player staying at the same school for a whopping two straight years wasn't always news, but the current age of transfer portal lunacy has buried that thought process for good. We'll never see it again. 

Nowadays, players up and leave if they don't get enough practice reps. Or enough NIL money. Or, of course, enough playing time on Saturdays. 

So far, though, that hasn't been the case with Arch Manning. He sat behind Quinn Ewers last season at Texas, and he's going to again this season. 

He's sticking it out! And if it sounds silly … head coach Steve Sarkisian is right there with you:

Arch Manning sticks around at Texas, for now

It does sound crazy when you really hear it, right? Sark's right – the notion that Arch Manning would/should leave after a total of six meaningful snaps in his freshman season is crazy talk. 

Or so it used to be. 

Like I said, everyone transfers now. College football is literally the Wild Wild West whenever that transfer portal opens up. When those doors swing open every few months, it's game on. Place fills up faster than the Golden Corral on an SEC Friday night. 

But, to his credit (I guess?), Arch Manning hasn't left Texas … yet. Plenty of folks thought he would during the offseason, but he came back for spring camp, threw a couple rockets during Texas' spring game, and is now back in the weight room ahead of summer workouts. 

He's doing something crazy in 2024 and going the old school route of biding your time, working hard, waiting out the senior, and earning the chance to start when the time comes. Wild. 

And by the way, it ain't like Quinn Ewers is a scrub. The guy nearly led Texas to a national title last year. He's gonna be one of the best quarterbacks in the country this season. Of course he's gonna start. 

Most college football programs would kill to have a guy like that back for a 10th season.*

*Approximate.

PS: not sure Arch wants to be thrown to the SEC wolves right away, either. Maybe let Quinn test those waters first. This isn't the Big 12 anymore, you know.