Special to Sports News Highlights

(SNH) — One impressive spring game performance and the Arch Manning hyped machine has been regenerated.

However, just as last season, Manning knows going into his second college football campaign at Texas he will serve as the backup.

The much-hyped, uber-talented nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning will again wait in the wings as third-year starter Quinn Ewers, who helped lead the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff in 2023, tries to build upon that Longhorn success.

And, though Ewers remains the man in Austin, Texas still seems the appropriate place for Manning to get his initial shot at college stardom. Even if his stellar performance in the Longhorns spring game last weekend opened the door for some to call for him to leave Texas and find a place to be an immediate starter. 

Confidence builder 

A five-star talent from New Orleans, Manning will go down as one of the most-hyped recruits in college football history.

Analysts and others in the media treated Manning’s college choice like the Oscar nominations or a vice-presidential pick. 

Manning chose Texas, where Ewers was the starter with plenty of eligibility. Manning’s on-field freshman experience consisted of one game, against Texas Tech on Nov. 24, 2023. He went 2-of-5 for 30 yards and rushed three times for seven yards.

Fast forward to last weekend when the Longhorns held their spring game. With Ewers entering what could possibly be his final college season, all signs point to Manning as his immediate backup – especially after last year’s second-stringer Malik Murphy transferred to Duke.

“The majority of guys like Arch have always been the best their whole life, then they get to college and it’s like, ‘wait, I’m not the starter?’” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said in his press conference following the April 20 spring game.  “No, but we’re going to develop you in a way that when you do become the starter, you’re going to play great.”

In that glorified scrimmage, Manning, according to ESPN, went 19-of-26 for 355 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. His first pass of the day went for a 75-yard touchdown, aided by a defensive breakdown in the secondary, and he followed with nine straight completions. 

“I wanted Arch to be able to just go play football,” Sarkisian added. ‘He hadn’t really played in a year.”

From there, the Internet blew up. 

The greatness that Manning displayed as a prep superstar was conjured up again. Thus, leading to questions of whether he should stay or go? 

His time (as a Longhorn) is gonna come 

While it’s easy to get excited about the talent and skill those who follow the college game knew Manning displayed, the folks who should really be jacked are Longhorns fans.

According to ESPN, Sarkisian noted that Manning has been a model teammate thus far in short college tenure. Patient, eager to learn and absorbing as much knowledge as possible for when his number is called when the moment truly matters.

Which makes Texas the right spot for him to be. The Longhorns have handled this situation quite well, and after finally fulfilling expectations and reaching the CFP, they intend to sustain that success – even amid the rigors of their new SEC home.

Texas expects to be a major player on the national scene going forward. Ewers won’t be there much longer, and Manning has the eligibility to extend his college career, all leaving him in the ideal place to become the superstar many believe he will.

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