Everything Quarterback Arch Manning Said at SEC Media Days

ATLANTA – Sophomore quarterback Arch Manning made his first SEC Media Days appearance on Tuesday, alongside head coach Steve Sarkisian, linebacker Anthony Hill, and safety Michael Taaffe.

The noise surrounding his name is deafening, and the expectations are high. Check out everything Manning said during his Q&A ahead of his first year as the starter:

Q. Obviously, your first time at SEC media days. There’s a lot of hype around you, but what do people maybe not know about you?

ARCH MANNING: I feel like I’m a pretty normal guy. I like to hang out with my buddies, play golf. I take football pretty seriously. Other than that, just a regular guy.

Q. What are some of the things you like to improve upon from your last season? What can you say about your receivers and this offense?

ARCH MANNING: Our receivers are really good, really fast. We have a bunch of young ones, but having Wingo and D-Mo back will be good. I’m just really trying to improve as a leader this offseason.

Q. Becoming more of a leader, your teammates have said how active a role you took. What was the impetus of that to try to kind of establish yourself this offseason?

ARCH MANNING: I think, as much as it wasn’t always easy, those two years, I kind of feel like I got a lot of respect from the team. Now being more of a vocal leader, they know it’s coming from a place of love. When I get on someone, they know I’m not just being a turd.

Q. With all the media attention that you’ve gotten this offseason, your entire career, and today, all the scrums around you, has any of this started to feel almost normal at this point?

ARCH MANNING: I don’t know. Maybe so. I think I’ve had a lot of role models to look up to, and how they deal with the media. I think Quinn did a really good job handling the media. But I’m here to play ball. This is very much so secondary.

Q. Who is more competitive, yourself or Michael Taaffe?

ARCH MANNING: That’s pretty close.

Q. Who talks more trash?

ARCH MANNING: He’s annoying competitive, though. He’ll pick up a piece of trash, and be, I picked up the trash. I’m, like, okay.

No, he’s good. He picked me off last week in a two-minute drill, which was annoying. But we’re both pretty competitive. It gets competitive on the golf course, too.

Q. Who talks more trash?

ARCH MANNING: Probably him. Yeah, probably him.

Q. Going back to being part of the renewal of the Lone Star Showdown, you come in and you experience that, scoring a touchdown, what do you remember from that game? And how much are you looking forward to it being in Austin this year?

ARCH MANNING: It was a privilege to have that rivalry back. I’m glad I got to impact the game a little bit. They’re a really good team. That was a big-time atmosphere. I’m looking forward to that game.

I got to spend some time with Marcel at MPA. He’s a really good guy and good player. We’re fired up to play them again.

Q. Big touchdown in a key situation in that game. How did moments of success like that maybe help prepare you stepping into the role you’ll have this season?

ARCH MANNING: Anytime you can get reps in the game and make an impact to help your team win, it definitely builds your confidence for the following year. I think I’m going to try to build on that.

Q. You talked about your role models. Yesterday, your grandfather’s jersey was displayed as part of the Ole Miss shrine. And with your family name, you’re about to have your chance to shine and create your own legacy. What’s that look like for you?

ARCH MANNING: It was cool seeing that. I think I came here maybe when it was just opening with my grandfather to watch the Ole Miss-Boise State game opening week. But it’s been cool looking up to him and my uncles and my dad. I’ve always wanted to play in the SEC. It’s been a blessing.

Q. Your dad’s Ole Miss rival, Archie’s jersey’s here, Uncle Eli. I know you’re a Texas Longhorn. What’s your relationship you grew up, and what’s your relationship with Ole Miss now?

ARCH MANNING: It’s a little bit different we grew up going to games. We had a place in Oxford, and I’d spend a lot of the summer there and go to at least a game a year.

Also, I guess not as much, but they got a really good coach and really good team. I spent time with Austin a few weeks ago. He’s a good guy. He’s got a hell of an arm. They’re in for good a year.

Q. Your uncles are notorious for having really strong self-deprecating humor. You’ve shown flashes of that. What’s a Thanksgiving dinner like around the Manning family household, just everybody ripping on each other, or what’s that like?

ARCH MANNING: I think we play A&M the day after Thanksgiving, so it won’t be much. I’ll probably be with the team.

But growing up, it was fun watching football — it’s pretty much like every other family — watch football, eat a lot, maybe go outside and wrestle, I don’t know. It was pretty basic. Nothing special.

Q. Obviously, your family name is big everywhere, but in Louisiana, it’s very big. You’re playing for Texas now. Do you feel like you’re also representing Louisiana? What does Louisiana mean to you moving forward, even though you’re playing in the state of Texas?

ARCH MANNING: I try to bring as much New Orleans style to Texas. I learned a lot growing up in New Orleans. Been around a lot of good players. We have some other guys from the state of Louisiana with me at Texas.

It’s been fun. Going back every year to Thibodaux, the New Orleans culture and Louisiana culture is second to none. So it’s always fun going back.

Q. Obviously, you played a lot with Quinn Ewers here last year. Now that you’re the starter, has he given you any advice? What have you learned from Quinn?

ARCH MANNING: I learned so much from Quinn in my two years behind him. I think he handled it like a pro. It’s definitely not easy having me as the backup with all the media. I’m forever grateful for him.

I actually texted him the other week for advice on two-minute, what kind of plays he likes to start with.

Q. You said you’ve always wanted to play in the SEC. How has Texas been able to transition so well successfully in the SEC in two years, in the first year?

ARCH MANNING: I think it’s a credit to Coach Sark and the way he’s recruited and built the program. We have a bunch of good players, and follow his lead. This is a big-time conference. It’s tough each week. But I think we’ve done a pretty good job. I’m hoping to carry that forward.

Q. Do you think your mobility caught anybody by surprise last year? You can really move.

ARCH MANNING: My dad was pretty fast. My mom was fast, too. She’s competitive. I try to mix it up a little bit when I can.

Q. What’s the hardest thing you’ve had to deal with in your time at Texas and this offseason?

ARCH MANNING: I think I would say probably from going — I played — this is not a really big deal, but I played every year in high school. It was 2-A high school. That doesn’t mean anything. But from sitting out and not playing, that was pretty tough.

I think more so now, just dealing with the media and stuff, I don’t really care about all that. I’m just here to play football. That’s kind of what I want my focus to be.

Q. You and Garrett Nussmeier seem to have a pretty good relationship. How has it been? He’s had one year as a starter under his belt. Have you all had those conversations, or do you try to keep it away from ball?

ARCH MANNING: No, Nuss was my roommate at that camp. I asked him probably 200 questions. I had no idea he was going to propose a week later. I’m excited for him. He’s going to have a good year. They’ve got a good squad over there.

Q. You talked about how hard it was not to play those first couple of years. Obviously, we’re in a different era of college sports where it’s a super common thing to, okay, if I’m not playing right away, I’m just going to go find somewhere I can play. Did that idea ever creep in? I have no doubt you had offers to do that, but was there ever any sort of consideration to do something like that?

ARCH MANNING: No, that never really crossed my mind. I knew Texas was the place I wanted to be. It was the city I wanted to be in, a great education. I had friends there. I was still developing and growing as a football player and as a person. So I never really wanted to leave. If there was somewhere else I wanted to be, I would have gone.