Arch Manning Takes Center Stage at SEC Media Days

Manning's appearance was appointment viewing, and as the crowd around the stage grew, some began to look for reference points.

Was this as big as the group Tua Tagovailoa drew a few years back? Was this on Tim Tebow level?

Manning arrived right on time, flanked by teammates Michael Taaffe and Anthony Hill Jr. As the Texas contingent made its way to the stages, Manning's path was interrupted by a greeting from SEC legend Paul Finebaum.

By the time Manning took his seat, the assembled media had occupied a nearby balcony as videographers vied for a better vantage point of the Longhorns’ starting quarterback. Manning was diplomatic in his answers, touting his teammates and paying respect to opponents around the conference.

He also admitted that he could do without all the fanfare.

“At first I didn’t really want to come just ’cause cameras aren’t my favorite thing,” Manning said to a wall of cameras. “Then I realized to represent the University of Texas at SEC media days is a cool thing.”

Manning constitutes more than a mere representative for the fan base, but he doesn’t buy into the savior complex ascribed to him. He exudes humility rather than the arrogance that could be shown by someone in his position as QB1 of a storied college football program and a member of football’s first family.

Elsewhere in the room, Manning’s teammates also took questions, albeit from smaller crowds.

Hill lauded Manning’s ability to deal with outside noise, noting his largely dormant social media presence. Taaffe said he relishes the attention Manning brings to the team and views it as an opportunity to raise his own profile in front of a larger audience. At an earlier availability, Taaffe shared the most common question he gets: Is Arch Manning the real deal?

“My answer to that always is just let his film do all the talking,” Taaffe said.

Manning gets around a question about potentially being the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by saying what he’s really worried about is getting through the current interview, which eventually ends. At that point, he’s shuffled off to his next obligation, though not before stopping to meet the young fan who had been waiting all day to see him. Manning signs his No. 16 jersey and poses for a picture, smiling and throwing up the Hook ’em Horns gesture.

As Manning is en route to his next interview, he’s bombarded by photo requests and cries of “Arch!” A few fans who found their way into a restricted area request an autograph, and Manning acquiesces. He turns a corner only to be greeted by more cameras trained on his every move.

In his final interview of the day, Manning takes still more questions about the spotlight on him. He emphasizes that his focus is on football while all the attention on him is secondary.

“I take football pretty seriously,” Manning said. “Other than that, just a regular guy.”