Buckle up, Longhorn fans, because Saturday's game against BYU could be a wild ride.
With Quinn Ewers out due to a shoulder injury, we'll see a new quarterback get the start for Texas. Will it be Arch Manning, one of the most touted freshmen in the country from a long lineage of star quarterbacks? Or will it be Maalik Murphy, the redshirt freshman who's been the next man up all season?
For those dying to see Manning make his debut in burnt orange, hate to break it to you, but he might not yet throw a ball in Austin.
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Here's what to know about where Manning stands in the Texas QB picture.
Will Arch Manning play this week?
Maybe yes, but probably no. Steve Sarkisian has stated Maalik Murphy will get the start against BYU. During Thursday's press conference, he said Murphy had his best practice so far.
“We’ll go through the week and Arch and Maalik will both get a ton of reps,” Sarkisian began. “If the game was being played today, Maalik would start the game and again, Arch will be ready to go."
Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said QBs Arch Manning and Maalik Murphy "will both get a ton of reps" this week in preparation for BYU 👀
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) October 24, 2023
(via @TexasLonghorns) pic.twitter.com/zAQeKOjqkI
As the now-backup, Manning will be ready to play at any given moment. Sarkisian is unsure yet if he'll give the freshman reps against the Cougars.
When asked if Arch Manning will play on Saturday, Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian hasn't made that decision. Said they've discussed it but wants to make sure it's in the best interest of the team. He sees value in it, but is not ready to make that call yet.
— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) October 26, 2023
Texas QB depth chart
| Rank | Player |
| 1. | Quinn Ewers |
| 2. | Maalik Murphy |
| 3. | Arch Manning |
1. Quinn Ewers
Ewers was mediocre in his debut season for the Longhorns last year, completing 58.1% of his passes with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. Sarkisian has an unwavering confidence about his No. 1 guy this year, and for the most part, Ewers' starting spot hasn't been questioned. Through seven games, he threw at a 70.9% completion rate, adding 13 touchdowns with three interceptions.
It's coming to an end for now. For the second straight year, Ewers will miss time with a shoulder injury. He suffered an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder after a big hit against Houston. He's considered week-to-week, an unfortunate timeline as the Longhorns need all the help they can get to be playoff contenders. He should return before the completion of the season, though exactly when is unknown.
MORE: How much time will Texas' Quinn Ewers miss after suffering shoulder sprain?
2. Maalik Murphy
Redshirt freshman Murphy has been Ewers' backup all season, coming in for the final few drives against Houston as well as making appearances against Baylor and Rice. So far, he's completed four of eight passes for 47 yards.
It may not seem like much, but it's time on the field. He's got an edge over Manning simply because he's older and has been under Sarkisian's system for an extra year. A pro-style QB, Murphy knows how to sling it, and can really transform the Texas offense for the better should he manage his game well.
3. Arch Manning
To what was originally much surprise, Manning is third on the Texas depth chart, not playing a single snap so far this year. Given his ranking (and name) out of high school, many expected Manning to at least be the backup guy. But the Longhorns' QB room is one of the most talented groups in the nation; any guy could go in when necessary.
In the end, Manning's status comes down to two reasons: experience and redshirt possibilities. His elders have played in the Texas system longer and have made visible improvements over the years, giving Sarkisian no reason to put a freshman above, no matter Manning's talent and potential as an elite QB. Key word, potential. Sarkisian knew Manning likely would not be ready to be a starter this year, so why take away from his future seasons?
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Will Arch Manning redshirt in 2023?
For now, that seems to be the plan. Sarkisian considered playing Manning in the season opener against Rice, but by the time Sarkisian was ready to make the switch, there was only a minute left in the game. It wasn't worth it to waste a game of eligibility at that point.
To redshirt, college football players can play no more than four games a season, not including bowl games. Texas has five regular-season games left, along with a possible conference championship and bowl game. Manning could appear on the field at some point between now and the end of the season while still maintaining his redshirt status, but Sarkisian will still have to use him sparingly.
Arch Manning high school stats
The five-star QB was unsurprisingly a top recruit, named the No. 1 overall prospect by various outlets.
Manning attended Isidore Newman in New Orleans, the same school his uncles Eli and Peyton attended. Arch, in his senior year, broke Eli's passing yards record (7,389) and Peyton's passing touchdowns record (93). He finished his high school career with a total of 8,539 passing yards and 115 passing touchdowns, tossing 19 interceptions. He added 749 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns.
The five-star received a 1.000 rating from 247Sports Composite, becoming one of three QBs to earn that score since 2000. Vince Young and Quinn Ewers also went to Texas.
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Arch Manning recruiting
Manning dropped his commitment to Texas with one simple tweet.
Committed to the University of Texas. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/jHYbjBaF5K
— Arch Manning (@ArchManning) June 23, 2022
Manning also received offers from USC, Clemson, Oklahoma and Miami, and briefly considered LSU and Ole Miss after unofficial visits. But it was ultimately between the Longhorns, Alabama and Georgia.
A month before Manning's decision, the Tide received a commitment from another elite 2023 quarterback, Eli Holstein, essentially eliminating them from the final destination. Georgia put up a good fight, as Manning had high praise for Athens, but in the end, his relationship with Sarkisian won out. It helped that the Longhorns spent $280,000 on a three-day official visit for Manning and eight other recruits.
But Manning knew he wanted to play under a coach who develops quarterbacks, and he didn't need to look hard to find proof of that for Sarkisian. He's sent nine QBs to the NFL, with six being drafted in the first round.
"I think he did his due diligence, I think he took a great look at a lot of schools," grandfather Archie Manning said. "I know he made four visits to Texas, four visits to Georgia, four visits to Alabama, I know he had a hard time telling coach (Nick) Saban and coach (Kirby) Smart no, but he made his choice and he wanted to play for coach Sark.”
