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Arch Manning’s Blunt Response To Waiting Behind Quinn Ewers at Texas

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By J.C. Shelton | Last updated Apr 10, 2025 5:39 PM ET

From five-star phenom to starting quarterback, Arch Manning is hoping that his lengthy wait behind Quinn Ewers pays off ahead of his first season at the helm of the Texas offense.

Manning's commitment to the Longhorns and head coach Steve Sarkisian in the class of 2023 was as a historic win for the program on the recruiting trail. The only recruit to be ranked higher in program history was Vince Young back in 2002.

The experience of Ewers ultimately kept Manning waiting in the wings, and Texas went on to make back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances.

It's becoming rare to see a talent like Manning accept a backup role with the transfer portal looming as an option to start elsewhere.

Although he decided to stick it out, Manning admitted that it was "tough" when speaking to the media on Thursday during spring practice.

And his dedication to the university appears to have made a big difference.

“It was tough,” he said. “It’s tough in this age. I hope it pays off. There was nowhere else I wanted to be. I want to be at Texas. I’ve got friends here. Love this place. I want to be the quarterback at the University of Texas. Sometimes, it’s worth the wait.”

Things are beginning to set up for Manning as he enters his redshirt sophomore season. Ewers is NFL bound and the keys to the offense rests on Manning's talented shoulders.

There may be some growing pains early in the season for the 6-foot-4, 225-pound passer. However, Manning did show some intriguing promise after going 2-0 as the starter last season while Ewers was nursing an injury.

In total, Manning appeared in 10 games in 2024 after seeing snaps in two games the previous season. He passed for 939 yards with nine touchdowns to two interceptions, adding another 108 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.

Manning's debut as the full-time starter will come against some stiff competition, as the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes host Texas in the season opener on Aug. 30.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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