Steve Sarkisian reveals how Arch Manning 'earned' Texas' starting QB job after waiting two years

From the time that Arch Manning committed to Texas three years ago as the top prospect in the Class of 2023, it was always a question of when, and not if, he would emerge as the Longhorns' starter. Most players of his caliber don't typically have to wait long, especially when they belong to the greatest quarterbacking bloodline in football history.

So it befuddles some that Manning was content spending his first two seasons in Austin largely as a backup to Quinn Ewers, a former No. 1 recruit in his own right. At any point, Manning could have demanded more while threatening to leave via the transfer portal, where schools would have tripped over themselves racing to vie for his services.

Instead, he took time to develop. That patience will pay off in 2025.

"I think he's earned the respect of his teammates," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said during an appearance on the "Always College Football" podcast. "They know he's not playing because of the name on the back of his jersey. He's going to be our starting quarterback because he's earned it and he's ready to play."

It really shouldn't come as any surprise that Manning elected to stick things out. That's been a consistent theme in his family. His uncle, Peyton, eschewed the 1997 NFL Draft to return for his senior season at Tennessee. He was then first off the board in the 1998 NFL Draft.

It took Arch's younger uncle, Eli, three years to start at quarterback at Ole Miss, where he spent five seasons. Patience is ingrained in Manning's DNA, alongside his naturally inherited elite football traits. So is humility.

Manning rarely makes public appearances. He's posted just five times on X -- his commitment to Texas, and four promotional videos with the likes of Panini and EA Sports. His social media bio simply reads "College student".

"In the end, he came to Texas because that's where he wanted to go to school and he dreamt of playing quarterback at the University of Texas," Sarkisian said. "Then when he got here, I give him a lot of credit because all he did was come to work and be a great teammate."

It's not that Manning has gone without opportunities at the collegiate level. He didn't have any meaningful snaps as a true freshman, but as a sophomore he was pressed into action when Ewers missed a few games with a shoulder injury.

Manning was the starting quarterback in Texas' first-ever SEC win, which came against Mississippi State. He threw for 325 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another touchdown.

Outside of his spot-starting duty, Texas often employed special packages that took advantage of Manning's rushing ability. He scored the first touchdown in Texas' rivalry revival against Texas A&M and had carries in each of the Longhorns' College Football Playoff games vs. Clemson and Ohio State.

"I don't think that I could have predicted a better way for this to go for him to where he's grown exponentially, not only on the football field but as a leader, as a person," Sarkisian said. "I think he's ready to play now and play at a high level and we don't have to go through as many growing pains."

Though he had another year of eligibility, Ewers declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, where he was selected in the seventh round by the Miami Dolphins. That means Texas is Manning's team.

In preparation for his first full year of starting football since 2022, Manning has worked on refining his knowledge of Texas' offense and developing a greater understanding of the Longhorns' intricate RPO game.

"Now, if you're defending us, now you have to defend all of the field, the shots down the field, his ability to use his legs -- but you can't neglect, still, the RPO game and those intermediate throws that we've been so effective at these first few years, especially with Quinn," Sarkisian said.

"So, how do we raise all of his game up to where, man, if you're defending our offense with Arch Manning, you've got a lot to defend."