Former NFL QB explains why he thinks Texas quarterback Arch Manning has struggled this year

Arch Manning's sophomore campaign has been a rollercoaster—one that's left Texas fans scratching their heads and analysts searching for answers. The five-star quarterback, who entered 2025 with sky-high expectations, has battled inconsistency through the season's first half. While some have chalked it up to pressure or inexperience, former NFL QB Chase Daniel thinks the problem runs deeper.

Chase Daniel explains the fundamental flaws in Arch Manning's throwing mechanics

On The Dan Patrick Show, Daniel—who played 13 seasons in the NFL and now serves as a college football analyst—offered a detailed mechanical diagnosis of Manning's struggles.

“I don’t know if it’s the yips,” Daniel said. “But mechanically, there are a lot of things wrong with his throwing motion—from his feet not being in the right spot to his arm angle not being in the right spot to him grimacing when he throws the football.”

Daniel, who spent years learning from Drew Brees and tom Brady's renowned throwing coach Tom House, didn't see confidence as the issue. Instead, he zeroed in on the fundamentals—the details that separate a clean thrower from an erratic one.

"Your power comes from your feet up," Daniel explained. "Anytime your feet aren't planted in the ground firmly, you don't get enough torque on the ball. Last year, Arch's back foot stayed down until his arm came through. This year, almost every throw, even in clean pockets, that back foot has come up. So his ball dies on him—specifically going to the right."

That subtle flaw, Daniel says, has caused a noticeable dip in Manning's accuracy, particulary on intermediate and sideline throws. It's a striking assessment coming from someone who's watched "every single snap this year," including Arch's now-infamous 10 straight incompletions against UTEP—a team with one of the nation's weakest pass defenses.

"He's just missing it," Daniel said bluntly. "He's not accurate. There's stuff open, but his mechanics are completely off from last year."

Texas' offense under Steve Sarkisian, himself a former quarterback, has adjusted in response to Arch's underwhelming play. The Longhorns are averaging 40 rushing attempts per game, a stark shift for an offense historically known for drawing up explosive passing concepts. Their top wideout, Ryan Wingo, has barely been a factor this year.

That change, Daniel suggests, isn’t by accident. Instead, Daniel believes it’s a sign of a coach managing around his quarterback’s limitations.

"Sark sees it," Daniel said. "They're not throwing the football the way they used to. It just doesn't look like a typical Sark offense."

For a player like Manning (whose family legacy is inseparable from QB precision) Daniel's assessment is both illuminating and unsettling. Arch isn't injured, he's not rattled by the spotlight, he's just off balance. And in college football, that’s often the hardest problem to fix midseason.

Mechanical issues aren’t surface-level mistakes. They’re problems with muscle memory. By midseason, a QB’s rhythm is locked into the grind of film study, game plans, and weekly reps, not rebuilding his foundation. You can tweak reads or simplify calls in-season, but fixing footwork and throwing mechanics takes hours of repetition, not brief practice windows between Saturday kickoffs.

If Daniel is right, the fix won't come from a confidence boost or simplified playbook. Arch will need to rebuild is base, starting from the ground up.

For now, the Longhorns' success hinges on how quickly Arch can recalibrate his mechanics. As Chase Daniel knows better than most, in football, even the smallest flaw can unravel everything else.