Arch Manning stars in Texas Longhorns’ spring sport

AUSTIN, Texas — In his most intensive motion since arriving at Texas, Arch Manning placed on a present in Texas’ Orange-White sport Saturday, and he did not take lengthy to do it.

Manning threw a 75-yard landing on his first go try, began 10 for 10 and completed the primary half 11 for 13 for 189 yards with two TDs. His first incompletion occurred with 12 seconds left within the second quarter, and his second on a throw off the palms of Isaiah Bond in the long run zone.

Texas did not present statistics, however based on ESPN Stats & Info analysis, Manning completed with 355 yards and three touchdowns with one interception whereas finishing 19 of 26 makes an attempt. At the least 4 of these incompletions had been catchable passes. His pocket presence and confidence was an necessary displaying contemplating Quinn Ewers missed 5 video games previously two years, backup Maalik Murphy transferred to Duke, and Texas returns simply 16% of its receiving manufacturing from final season after dropping its high 5 pass-catchers.

Sarkisian mentioned the plan all alongside was to restrict Ewers to 1 or two collection, as a result of he is entrenched as a third-year starter after throwing for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns with six interceptions as Texas made the Faculty Soccer Playoff. On Saturday, Ewers’ first drive ended with defensive finish Colton Vasek tipping a go that was grabbed by defensive sort out Alfred Collins, who ran it again for a landing. Ewers mentioned after the sport that he knew his time could be quick.

“I do know what Quinn’s about,” Sarkisian mentioned. “Quinn’s had a terrific spring.”

After Manning made an look in simply two video games final season, towards Texas Tech in a blowout win and within the ultimate collection of the Large 12 title sport, he obtained an opportunity to take the vast majority of his workforce’s snaps on this sport for the primary time.

“I wished Arch to have the ability to simply go play soccer. He hadn’t actually performed in a yr,” Sarkisian mentioned. “When he retains his eyes up and steps up within the pocket, he can ship these balls down the sphere the best way we wish to play. It was good to see and it is good to see a number of the guys round him play with him the best way that they did.

“We’re very lucky on the quarterback place to have a third-year starter to have the backup that we’ve got,” Sarkisian mentioned.

Sarkisian informed ESPN’s Chris Low this week that Manning has been affected person, regardless of his well-known final identify and the proliferation of quarterback transfers across the nation.

“Nearly all of guys like Arch have at all times been the most effective their entire life,” Sarkisian mentioned. “Then they get to varsity and it is like, ‘Wait, I am not the starter?’ No, however we will develop you in a method that once you do turn into the starter, you are going to play nice. You are not going to need to undergo a few of these rising pains that a few of these different guys undergo with their freshman and sophomore yr. We’ll maintain coaching you in a method that when your quantity does get known as, you are going to play actually good soccer.”

He did that on Saturday, however Sarkisian additionally praised the efficiency of true freshman quarterback Trey Owens, a four-star recruit who helped offset Manning’s efficiency on the opposite workforce in a sport Sarkisian known as “essentially the most thrilling spring sport I’ve ever been part of.”

“To not take a shot of those who put stars on quarterbacks, however I belief our analysis, and we may in all probability recruit any quarterback within the nation,” Sarkisian mentioned. “However Trey Owens is absolutely proficient and may make a number of throws, so I am very inspired with the place we’re at, on the quarterback place.”

The Longhorns had been excited to see the efficiency of freshman Ryan Wingo, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound receiver from St. Louis who was No. 33 within the 2024 ESPN 300. Wingo caught two touchdowns. Sophomore DeAndre Moore caught Manning’s 75-yarder to open the sport. Bond, the Alabama switch who led the Crimson Tide with 48 catches final season, labored his method into the offense.

Sarkisian presumably foreshadowed some switch portal priorities when he mentioned the Longhorns nonetheless want extra “large people” alongside the line of defense after dropping NFL draft prospects T’Vondre Sweat, the Outland Trophy winner, and Byron Murphy II. However in any other case, he feels actually good concerning the Longhorns’ outlook.

“I feel we’re a really proficient soccer workforce,” Sarkisian mentioned. “What excited me as we speak is that playmakers made performs and that is one thing that you simply attempt to recruit to… I feel we’re superb. And I feel that we’ve got an opportunity to do some actually good issues.”