Arch Manning goes from 'aw shucks' to edgy QB with something to prove. Will it save Texas?

Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) leaves the field after the 27-24 loss to Florida at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026 in Austin. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman) Arch Manning had an intensity to him this week. While answering questions Monday about his offense's struggles for the umpteenth time over this two-week dumpster fire, the Texas football quarterback resembled a young cub whose siblings had beaten him out for the tasty meal Mama brought home.

>With five days left until Saturday's kickoff against Ole Miss, Simba was noticeably intense Monday, operating somewhere between steamed and smoldering.

>The Longhorns need him to don that red cape Saturday or hell, just be something close to what we witnessed in the second half of last season. Manning knows this.

>"I haven't put good film on tape the past five weeks and I'm going to be better," he said with a scowl. "I'm going to do better for my teammates and be better for the coaches.

>Manning hasn't found that groove that powered the team to an 8-1 finish over the last nine games last year. And the three fourth-quarter turnovers during the program's first two-game losing streak since 2021 have weighed heavily on him.

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>Still, it would be the height of irresponsibility to place the entire blame for this offense's struggles completely at No. 16's feet. He's shouldering his role in it and has practiced with a demeanor his coaches and teammates aren't used to seeing. Head coach Steve Sarkisian described him as "edgy."

>"Somebody texted me that we lost the 'Aw shucks' kid and we've created something else,"  Sarkisian said. "I don't know if we lost him. We created this. We did, all of us, (the media) included. Everybody on ESPN, we've created this, and so we'll see what comes out of it. But he's edgy right now, and honestly, I appreciate that about him."

>As the No. 19 Longhorns (4-2, 1-2) flirt with impending doom when it comes to their postseason hopes, Manning has become the popular choice in the inevitable blame game. Sure, he has played a role in the offense's struggles, but football is a team sport coached by highly paid individuals, like Sarkisian, who are awarded small fortunes to develop talent.

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The hype around this guy has been Kilimanjaro in height, which was expected from the day he arrived on campus nearly four years ago. Manning says he stays off social media most of the time, but some of the noise has to find his ears. He's human. And on Monday he wore the look of someone ready to go the distance with Mike Tyson.

class="MM_onlineOnly" title="CCI Online Only">"I appreciate that about him," Sarkisian said. "At some point he's got to fight back, and the best way for him to fight back is going out and playing really good football with his teammates and enjoy playing football with his teammates. I'm looking forward to watching him compete Saturday night."

Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss throws during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Miami, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (Rick Scuteri/Associated Press) Will the QB matchup live up to the hype?Manning vs. Trinidad Chambliss was a red-circle game when the 2026 schedule was released and while those names are still among the most popular in college football circles, Saturday's meeting is lacking some luster.

>And it isn't because of anything the Ole Miss star has done. He's more than held up his end for the No. 7 Rebels.

>Meanwhile, Manning has slumped behind an offensive line that hasn't blocked, protected or imposed its will on the opposition with any kind of consistency. His numbers - 1,295 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions with a 62.9 completion percentage - aren't anywhere near what we thought they would be at midseason, but there's time to right this ship even if the odds are stacked against the Austinites.

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>The struggles have led to talk of Manning losing his starting job to backup KJ Lacey six games into the season, something none of us could have foreseen when he was the sexy preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. This isn't Manning's last stand, but the face of the franchise and this his high-priced offense hasn't delivered on the massive potential that comes with a roster that houses as many as four projected NFL first-round draft picks. Sadly, that list may not include Manning, who has slid down mock draft boards.

>The Horns have gone from would-be title contender to what appears to be a disastrous avalanche of disappointment. Manning has become the whipping boy in many circles. Fair or unfair, the triumphs and failures of a football offense fall at the feet of the guy calling the signals. The quarterback often gets too much of the credit and too much of the blame.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian speaks with quarterback Arch Manning (16) during a timeout in the second quarter the Longhorns' game against the Texas State Bobcats at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin, Sept. 5, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman) Manning and Sarkisian are the central characters that make a Shakespearean tragedy feel like an episode of "Blue's Clues."

>The Longhorns didn't appear to have a clue as to how to stop the Florida pass rush last week and QB1, while showing a couple of glimpses of brilliance late in the game, didn't have enough to push this team across the finish line. To his credit, Manning hasn't pouted about how things have played out during this midseason malaise. He's still carrying himself with confidence even if the play on the field hasn't been to anyone's liking.

>"Losing's never fun and not playing well isn't fun," Manning said. "But I think this team's built for adversity. I'm built for adversity, and we're going to respond. I know that."

>The time to back it up will come Saturday.

>It's now or never.

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