Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Josh Pate Claps Back at Arch Manning Doubters

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Utsav Khanna | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 10:44 AM ET

Arch Manning is the central figure in college football going into the next season.

Despite his small sample size on the field, media and analysts alike have made his debut season the most talked about issue in the country.

247Sports analyst Josh Pate also talked-about the Arch Manning hype on the latest episode of Josh Pate's College Football Show.

Seemingly replying to Steve Spurrier's comments on Arch Manning, Pate defended Steve Sarkisian's decision not to bench Quinn Ewers.

Spurrier noted that if Arch Manning was as good as advocated, why did Steve Sarkisian choose to play Quinn Ewers over him despite his injury struggles?

Pate thinks anyone with this reasoning for doubting Manning is wrong.

A lot goes into why a decision like the starting quarterback, like trust, loyalty, and Sarkisian's assessment of where Ewers stands.

Pate noted that trusting Ewers does not implicate Manning. It doesn't mean that Sarkisian did not think that "Arch is the truth."

In 2024, Ewers threw for 3,472 yards, getting in 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a 65% completion rate. The interceptions are also a result of a chronic drop problem the Longhorns faced last year.

He was a strong starter for the Longhorns and aside from the Georgia Bulldogs game, Sarkisian did not see the need to bench him in favor of Manning.

Even in that game, Ewers was reinstated in the second half, showcasing the trust his coach had in him.

Thus, Pate does not see this as a feasible reason to doubt Manning. But he does see the new Longhorns starting quarterback falling into two scenarios.

Either the 21-year-old QB will take over college football, and opposing teams will figure out ways to stop him. Not the Texas offense, but Manning individually.

The second scenario is one where he'll be a service man. They'll need help from the defense to make plays and win games. He'll be efficient but won't take over games.

Just like many other analysts, Pate leans towards the first scenario because the intangibles and the physical tangibles are evidence enough for Manning's capabilities.

Things will only become clearer once Arch Manning walks onto the field as the Longhorns' starting QB on 30 August 2025.

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

More must-reads: