Arch Manning has all the time performed it his manner, now it is his flip at Texas
Arch Manning did one thing that’s so uncommon, particularly for quarterbacks in right now’s school soccer.
He waited.
The No. 1 participant within the 2023 Rivals250 went to Texas over Alabama and Georgia with the intention of sitting one 12 months behind Quinn Ewers.
When Ewers returned for the 2024 season, Manning might have bolted and nobody outdoors of Austin would have blamed him. An elite quarterback like that nearly by no means sits for 2 years in right now’s panorama.
However Manning has performed every part his manner by way of his recruitment and since he obtained to Texas. And now, lastly, with Ewers asserting for the NFL Draft on Wednesday, the keys are in Manning’s arms to run the Longhorns’ offense.
He’s being handed a Lamborghini and Manning ought to make it purr.
There are such a lot of particular issues about Manning’s sport and his psychological make-up. It speaks volumes that he had the persistence, the braveness, to sit down for 2 years and play solely in restricted conditions for 2 Texas groups that made it to the School Soccer Playoff.
One among 5 five-star quarterbacks within the 2023 class, solely Manning and Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava, who began this season and was concerned in some rampant switch portal rumors just lately, are nonetheless the place they signed out of highschool.
Dante Moore began at UCLA – he was principally thrown to the wolves by former coach Chip Kelly – and has since transferred to Oregon. Moore has reportedly informed folks he wasn’t prepared to start out as a freshman and deliberately went to the Geese so he might study behind Dillon Gabriel for a season earlier than taking up the offense in Eugene.
Malachi Nelson signed with USC, transferred out and went to Boise State the place he didn’t win the beginning job, transferred out of there and has now signed with UTEP. At one level, Nelson was severely within the working for the No. 1 total spot within the class.
Lastly, Jackson Arnold began at Oklahoma this 12 months solely to get benched for Michael Hawkins however when that didn’t work out, the Sooners went again to Arnold in a massively bungled state of affairs. That led to Arnold transferring and he’s now headed to Auburn the place he needs to be the starter heading into subsequent season.
Within the 2024 class, five-star Julian Sayin transferred from Alabama to Ohio State earlier than he even performed a down in Tuscaloosa and Ohio State five-star QB Air Noland has transferred to South Carolina. And in a outstanding transfer for the 2025 class, four-star Jaron Sagapolutele flipped from Oregon to Cal after being with the Geese on the Rose Bowl and working towards with them main as much as that sport.
By sitting and ready (as a substitute of chasing immediate headlines), Manning dodged all that drama.
Ewers, additionally a former No. 1 total prospect who had an awesome profession at Texas however in all probability underwhelmed within the massive image (he’ll in all probability be a fringe first-round choice), was a switch QB himself, coming to Texas after one season at Ohio State.
He has the arm expertise to climb up draft boards, however his numbers from his second to 3rd season in Austin didn’t enhance in order that may be a problem.
However, regardless, every part has been cleared out for Manning to lastly have the highlight.
He didn’t crave it by way of the recruiting course of, hardly doing interviews. He didn’t play 7-on-7 or do the traditional routine of camps or all-star occasions. I’ve been vital of a few of these selections as a result of I nonetheless preserve that having enjoyable as a child, together with your friends, is a giant a part of this complete factor and he missed out on it.
Both manner, Manning did issues his manner and now every part has lined up for him to guide Texas not solely again to the School Soccer Playoff, however take that subsequent step.
Coach Steve Sarkisian has managed Manning the final two years completely; some would possibly argue he ought to have been taking part in even sooner.
Nevertheless it’s Manning’s time now. He was the No. 1 participant within the 2023 class for a cause. He has the pedigree and the talents to be phenomenal.
And Manning may be taking up at exactly the proper time, proving to be precisely what the Longhorns have to ship one other nationwide title to Austin.
