How difficult can carrying 7 alphabets on the back of your shirt be? If they spell “Manning,” quite a bit. The name weighs heavy, owing to the success of the clan along 2 generations. Archie Manning blazed a proverbial trail, which his sons followed through on. Now, it’s time for the 3rd of kin to earn his stripes. But for all the fervor and fame that comes with being Texas QB Arch Manning, it’s reciprocated with prejudice and undermining. A couple of revered analysts believe the masses are putting too much onus on the name and not enough on the bearer.

On the surface level, it’s all going to plan for Steve Sarkisian and Texas. Hand over the quarterbacking reins from Quinn Ewers to Arch Manning for a seamless transition to continue their status as contenders. But things in college football hardly ever work out with this much smoothness and linearity. It’s never all sunshine and rainbows. The transition is bound to throw up some curveballs.

As many snaps as Manning has played in his time as the understudy, becoming the starter comes with its own baggage. If the burnt orange jersey wasn’t enough of a burden, Arch Manning has to contend with following a royal lineage. Can he do it? Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman of On3 believe he can. Not for reasons as partisan and shallow as his last name. But because he’s simply good. However, they did throw caution to the wind that inadvertently sailed through Austin. 

Speaking over the On3 YouTube channel, Ari stated, “I actually, like, really resent anybody who just thinks that the only thing that we know about Arch is his last name. I think we know more than that. If Arch Manning didn’t have his name, he would have been impressive enough in his time already playing to get some respect…I almost think that his name is working against him now.”  Sark used Arch in certain packages where he needed a running threat last season. Apart from that, he also started games between weeks 3 and 7 when Quinn Ewers was nursing an oblique injury. During that time, he garnered 13 TDs. Including 9 through the air. With merely 2 picks. Co-host Andy concurred with the sentiment that Arch’s name is playing on perception, but in reverse.

“People look at the name and not the skill set. I think the skill set is pretty impressive,” he remarked. “Remove his name from the equation, you can still assign him his 5-star status. But given his ranking and given his performance in the limited action that he’s had, have we not seen enough to know that he’s going to operate this offense quite well?” The answer to that is convoluted since Arch Manning did come in from high school as a top-end prospect. But has sat for two years. It’s what causes the uncertainty within skeptics.

Andy Staples proceeded with, “You don’t have to be Peyton or Eli Manning to look good with the players around you. Even if he’s a 7 out of 10 quarterbacks…[Texas is] gonna win a lot, and he’s gonna do really well.” This is a jumping-off point to what instigated this “Name vs Skill” conversation in the first place. Not just people, but even Vegas, are unsure about what the Longhorns will look like with Arch Manning in the shotgun.

Top Comment by MrSprings

He’ll have a chance to prove it this upcoming season but I believe he’s not gonna do well it’s a...more

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Oddsmakers believe Texas will lose their very first game of the Arch Manning era

At the risk of inducing some PTSD, harp back to the Cotton Bowl. The burnt orange train was actually losing steam down the stretch before it got there. However, it eventually came to a complete halt at a scarlet-red stoplight. The end of the Texas Longhorns’ season was pretty anticlimactic with *that* squandered 1st and goal and dagger of a strip sack on Ewers. Maybe Steve Sarkisian will take solace from the fact he lost to the eventual champions, Ohio State. Maybe he’ll feel he was close enough to be on the pedestal instead. At least Sark and Arch Manning get another shot this season. 

The two bluebloods meet again in the season opener, and the look-ahead line from the sportsbooks is out. Ryan Day and Ohio State have been made 3.5-point favorites in Columbus. Instinctively, that seems rational. The Buckeyes are at home. However, the makeup of these two teams isn’t the same as they were down in Atlanta. Ohio State has lost key personnel in Ryan Day’s staff. DC Jim Knowles and OC Chip Kelly are out. So is O-line coach Justin Fyre. Sark has also lost some subordinates, but the damage isn’t as drastic. Plus, they have a clear advantage at quarterback.

Ari Wasserman agrees that Arch Manning should be better than whoever OSU goes with. Julian Sayin, who already has a media-manufactured rivalry with Arch, or true freshman Tavien St. Clair. Neither has a college start under their belt. Ohio State getting respect as the defending champs is fair. But scratch beneath the conspicuous surface, and Texas probably likes their chances of an upset at the Shoe. They’ll hope the Arch Manning era begins with a win of this magnitude. The stage is set for the newest Manning to introduce himself as QB1.