“Day 1 of spring practice and no Arch Manning update? Haha, preposterous!” But no need to panic—Arch Manning’s first spring as QB1 is off to a smooth start. The young signal-caller stepped onto the practice field with the kind of poise you’d expect from a member of football’s royal family. “Arch Manning looked the part on day one. He won and looked like a veteran. He looked like it wasn’t his first rodeo. And of course, we know it’s not his first rodeo because he had two starts last season,” Texas insider Anwar Richardson noted. But while all eyes are naturally drawn to Arch, the bigger concern for Texas isn’t under center—it’s what’s happening (or not happening) with Sarks’ speedsters.

Steve Sarkisian isn’t pressing the panic button, and maybe that’s the scariest part for the rest of the league. Texas Longhorns lost some serious firepower with Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, Silas Bolden, and tight end Gunnar Helm, all off to the NFL. That’s a lot of production gone in one offseason. But instead of raiding the transfer portal like most programs in need of skill-position help, Sarkisian stood pat. On3’s J.D. PicKell explained why that should make Longhorns fans—and their rivals—take notice. “Texas not going to the transfer portal to grab a wide receiver… how you move in the portal should tell you as a college football fan how you feel internally about your roster,” PicKell said. Translation? Sark isn’t worried because he knows something the rest don’t.

That kind of confidence doesn’t come from blind optimism. Sarkisian, after all, has a track record of coaching elite receivers. “Let’s just read off some of the receivers that Steve Sarkisian has coached: DeVonta Smith—yes, Heisman Trophy winner, that probably works. Okay, Xavier Worthy, AD Mitchell, we mentioned Matthew Golden,” PicKell reminded everyone. If Texas truly needed a veteran receiver, they had the resources to land one. “Financially, we know they could,” PicKell added. But they didn’t. That means Steve Sarkisian believes the talent is already in the building, even if the names aren’t household ones just yet.

The plan is clear—Arch Manning is going to have to maximize the weapons he has. Sarkisian already leaned into his quarterback’s ability to extend plays last season, using his legs in crucial third and fourth-down situations. That’s unlikely to change in 2025, especially as Texas breaks in new wideouts. The passing game will still flow through Ryan Wingo and DeAndre Moore, but beyond them, there’s a lot of unproven talent. The rest of the room? They’ve yet to record a college catch. It’s a boom-or-bust bet, but Sarkisian has never shied away from trusting young playmakers.

The unknowns at wide receiver mean the Horns will have to rely on their system and their passer to make things work. Mr. RedBull Manning, for all the pressure that comes with his last name, has shown he can handle it. Texas fans saw glimpses of his ability last season, and now the offense fully belongs to him. His deep ball is smooth, his decision-making is maturing, and if there’s one thing the Mannings have always been good at, it’s getting the most out of their supporting cast.

Spring ball is about installing, experimenting, and fine-tuning. Right now, Texas is in the stage of figuring out exactly what this offense is going to look like. But if Sarkisian is cool, calm, and collected, maybe everyone else should be paying attention. As PicKell said, “If Steve Sarkisian feels good about his room at wide receiver to where they don’t need to add anybody – you should feel good about it too – like you just you kind of just trust the recommendation of sorts.”

Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning to lose another WR

The Texas Longhorns’ wide receiver room has been a hot topic all off-season, and it just got even more interesting. While Coach Sarkisian remains as cool as ever, Texas fans might want to keep an eye on what’s unfolding.

As first reported by On Texas Football’s Bobby Burton, former three-star wide receiver Freddie Dubose is no longer part of the program. Dubose, a 2024 signee, didn’t see the field last season, and as of now, his football future remains a mystery. Coming out of high school, Dubose was ranked as the No. 78 wide receiver in 247Sports’ rankings. He chose Texas over UTSA, Arizona State, and Baylor, among others, but never got the opportunity to make an impact in Austin.

So, what does this mean for Texas’ receiving corps? Redshirt freshmen Parker Livingstone and Aaron Butler now have a golden opportunity to step up and take advantage of having a year in the system.