The Texas Longhorns came up short of their ultimate goal in 2024: ending the program’s 19-year national championship drought by winning the College Football Playoff. Texas came close, reaching the semifinals, but ultimately could not seal the deal; the Longhorns fell to the eventual champion Ohio State Buckeyes in a heated Cotton Bowl Classic earlier this month.
The loss to Ohio State marked the end of redshirt junior quarterback Quinn Ewers‘ time leading the Longhorns. Ewers, who was subject to criticism for his inconsistency and injury record, declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, meaning redshirt freshman Arch Manning will replace him behind center this fall. Manning comes from “football royalty” — he is the nephew of NFL quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning — and Texas fans were clamoring for head coach Steve Sarkisian to utilize him more during the Longhorns’ run to the SEC title game and throughout the College Football Playoff.
Arch is now “front and center” of the Texas program
Sarkisian stuck by Ewers throughout 2024, but everyone got a good look at what Manning can do while Ewers recovered from an oblique injury midway through the season. The 19-year-old won his two starts last season, accruing five total touchdowns against two interceptions, and Sarkisian often turned to Manning in short-yardage situations where he could run the ball for a first down.
Manning will be doing a lot more than converting on short-yardage downs in 2025. A recent Instagram collage posted by the Texas football program shows Manning and some of his teammates putting in offseason work in the weight room — with the new QB1 front and center.
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Manning’s ascension to first-string quarterback had long been expected — he is a former five-star recruit, after all — but said elevation will bring with it championship expectations (not hopes) for Texas in 2025. After consecutive Playoff exits, and with significant turnover on offense, Sarkisian is under pressure to deliver in big games against ranked teams, especially after he recently signed a lucrative contract extension with the university.