Steve Spurrier Defends Critical Comments of Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning

Former Florida Gators head coach Steve Spurrier has never been one to hold his thoughts back through his career in college football, and recently, that has found him in a little bit of scrutiny with the media.

While on Pat Dooley's Another Dooley Noted Podcast, Spurrier questioned the hype surrounding Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, and why he was sitting behind Quinn Ewers for most of the season if he was deemed as skillful as he is.

"Most people are picking Texas to win the SEC in football," Spurrier said. "They've got Arch Manning already winning the Heisman, too. My question is, if he was this good how come they let Quinn Ewers play all the time last year? He was a 7th round pick."

Spurrier Clarifies Viral Arch Manning Criticism, "I Wasn't Trying To Criticize Anybody."

Needless to say, in light of the eye-opening comment, Spurrier had some explaining to do, and Monday afternoon, the coach would be back on the Dooley podcast to explain his talk of the Longhorn sophomore.

Dooley opened by explaining his shock at the virality of his comments, and that it was basically blown out of proportions.

"That’s what I heard. I heard that went national when I was talking about Texas quarterbacks of the last two years,” Spurrier said. “I wasn’t trying to criticize anybody. But it’s just a different viewpoint than I had as a coach.”

Which is understandable. To each his own, after all, especially when it comes to coaching styles and philosophies.

Spurrier would further explain his thought process, and how he would have made the position a lot sooner if he was in Steve Sarkisian's shoes.

"All I’m trying to say is this, when I coached, if one guy’s struggling and I had another guy just as good, man, he’s in the game,” Spurrier said. “And if he’s really continuing playing well, he’ll stay in. If not, we’ll go back to the other guy. It’s sort of like baseball. If your starting pitcher, who’s your best, is having a terrible day, can’t throw it over the plate, you get the next guy to go in there. But for some reason in football a lot of people don’t like to substitute.”

Spurrier finished by comparing Manning to Florida quarterback DJ Lagway in terms of Heisman Trophy contention, even pulling for Manning to win if it doesn't go to the rising signal caller for the Gators.

“That’s just my philosophy. I’m not telling Sark what to do,” Spurrier said. “If DJ Lagway doesn’t win the Heisman, I hope Arch Manning wins it. They’re both capable. It just depends on which team maybe has a super year. But I’m trying to say if Arch was better than the other guy how come he didn’t play? That’s all I was trying to say.”

Manning will begin his first season proving the haters wrong as the full-time starter with a massive challenge on Aug. 30 when the Longhorns take on the reigning national champion Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus.