How Bad Was Arch Manning’s Performance, Really?

 After Texas lost to Ohio State on Saturday, perhaps the most surprising thing for many people was just how bad quarterback Arch Manning played against the Buckeyes. But just how bad was it?

Well, the answer is that it was the worst performance by a Texas quarterback in the past decade, in terms of plain inaccuracy.

Heading into halftime, Manning had accumulated just 26 passing yards on five completions. After throwing an interception late in the third, he finished the game completing 17-of-30 passes for 170 yards and a QBR of 58.

Throughout the game, Manning never seemed to find his rhythm until it was too late. In the fourth quarter, he had three plays that went for over 25 yards each. But in the end, even that wasn’t enough.

Through the first three quarters, Manning attempted five passes downfield for more than five yards. Not only is that stat alone slightly concerning, but it’s even more surprising that he did not complete a single one of them.

By the end of the game, he finished with an off-target percentage of 37%, which is the worst by a Texas quarterback in the past decade. His performance simply wasn’t good, and it wasn’t for any exterior factors for the most part.

Sure, Ohio State was able to get pressure sometimes. Sure, Ohio State’s defense was able to lock down the Longhorns’ receivers sometimes. But the truth is that Manning was simply inaccurate and missed open receivers.

The 46th play of the game is a prime example and summary of Manning’s performance throughout the game. As he took the snap, he dropped, and with two receivers open, he chose to throw to the right side of the field. But he does so before ever getting his feet settled in the pocket, resulting in a pass he throws almost sidearmed, which then arrives behind the receiver.

Although there was some good to his performance, most of it wasn’t. Manning and the Longhorns will hope to bounce back next week when Texas takes on San Jose State at home at 11 AM CT on ABC.