Arch Manning doesn’t feel like he’s done enough as a college quarterback to be one of the most recognizable players in the sport.
In an interview with ESPN published Thursday, Manning touched on myriad topics ahead of his first season as Texas’ starting quarterback. The former five-star recruit was Quinn Ewers’ backup during the 2024 season and is set to be Texas’ No. 1 QB in 2025 with Ewers off to the NFL.
When asked what comes with his famous last name, the nephew of Super Bowl winners Peyton and Eli Manning and grandson of Archie Manning didn’t hesitate to talk about the attention he gets for being a Manning.
“I think a lot of undeserved attention,” Manning said. But hopefully it gets more deserving in the next few months.”
“I don’t think I’ve done enough yet to be taking a lot of pictures at restaurants and signing autographs. But maybe that will come eventually.”
Manning signed with the Longhorns and coach Steve Sarkisian ahead of the 2023 season as the top high school recruit in the country. He came to Austin with Ewers entrenched as the starter following his first season in Austin after a transfer from Ohio State.
Manning opened that season as the Longhorns’ No. 3 QB, but served as the primary backup when Ewers was sidelined because of a shoulder injury and in the College Football Playoff, when No. 2 QB Maalik Murphy transferred.
After some spot duty in 2023, Manning saw his first significant playing time in 2024 when Ewers suffered a strained oblique in September. Manning took over for Ewers against UTSA after Ewers was injured and started against Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State before Ewers returned for the annual rivalry game vs. Oklahoma.
Manning scored five touchdowns in that UTSA game, but had just eight others over the other nine games he appeared in across the 2024 season. He finished 63-of-95 passing for 969 yards and nine passing touchdowns with two interceptions.
Now, he’ll get a full offseason as the presumptive starter with Ewers off to the NFL. And it’s likely that the Texas offense we saw in 2024 will be considerably different than the one we saw for most of 2025. Manning — who said he believed his game most resembled his grandfather Archie’s — rushed for four touchdowns last season and is a more dynamic rushing threat than Ewers. We may not see Manning run a lot in 2025, but his ability to get first downs with his legs will assuredly be an integral part of the playbook.
“I think he fits his offense and his play-calling to his players,” Manning said of Sarkisian. “That’s what I like most about him. He’s smart and he’s innovative and he wants to win. He’s a competitive guy. He works really hard, prepares and he gets us in the right position to win games.”
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