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Arch Manning was a huge draw at SEC Media Days last season, but now that he’s officially the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns, the attention was even greater on Tuesday.
However, this is what Manning wanted, at least in terms of where he’s playing football.
The nephew of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, as well as the grandson of New Orleans Saints legend Archie Manning, explained how transferring out of the Longhorns program was never a thought process for him.
“I think the main thing was I wanted to be at the University of Texas,” Manning said, via On3 Sports. “There’s nowhere else I wanted to be, whether it was the school itself, Austin, my friends, the football program. So, as long as I was continuing to get better at football and like where I was at, it was a no-brainer for me to stay.”
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Texas quarterback Arch Manning is surrounded by the media as he participates in SEC Media Days at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. (IMAGN)
When Quinn Ewers returned for the 2024 college football season instead of entering the NFL Draft, it was speculated that Manning would head elsewhere so he could start.
Instead, he stayed put to back up Ewers once more, and he was needed for 10 games this season due to his teammate getting injured.
PEYTON MANNING SAYS NEPHEW ARCH HAS ‘SWAGGER’ FROM HIS FATHER, ATHLETIC ABILITIES THAT ‘SKIPPED A GENERATION’
Manning threw for 939 yards with nine passing touchdowns and two interceptions over that span, completing 67.8% of his passes.
He also showed off some wheels when he had to tuck and run, rushing for 108 yards on 25 carries with four touchdowns as well.
Now, Manning knows he has the keys to head coach Steve Sarkisian’s offense, and it’s time to showcase what he can really do when he’s starting on a consistent basis.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, #16, warms up before the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 1, 2025. (Brett Davis-Imagn Images)
The hype around Manning is nothing new, though. Coming up as a top prospect at Isidore Newman School, the same as his father Cooper and his uncles, Manning has dealt with the national spotlight, and in turn, the comparisons to his family members.
Peyton recently spoke on “The Pat McAfee Show” about his nephew, where he said that himself and Eli are surely resources for him. However, he knows Arch wants to make a name for himself, and his father has done a fantastic job helping him get to this point as well.
“You know Pat, Eli and I are his uncles,” Peyton said to McAfee. “We try to be there as a resource for him, but Cooper has done a great job with Arch, and they’ve handled all the different things that have kind of come their way in the right way. I’m excited to watch Arch play. He’s been very patient. I thought he threw the ball really well at the camp.”
Peyton also touched on how he liked seeing his nephew stay at Texas and learn over the last two seasons.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning answers questions from the media during SEC Media Days at the Omni Atlanta Hotel. (Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images)
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“He’s been patient,” Peyton explained. “It’s been well-documented, he’s been there two years. I’m such a believer in mastering the system that you’re in. When you have new coordinators every single year in the NFL and college, that’s just frustrating to me. I was lucky. … The fact that Sarkisian calls the plays and Arch has been there for two years already and is going to know the system, that’s going to be a huge advantage for him.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him get out on the field. He’s worked real hard. I love seeing him go to that camp for his teammates. That’s being a good teammate. That’s being a good wingman. I’m excited to get down there and watch a few games in Austin.”
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