ESPN Forced Into Damage Control After Arch Manning Disrespect Ignited Fury in Texas Camp

To what does Arch Manning owe his popularity? As a quarterback who’s never been a primary starter, many would argue his surname is the one to blame. Of course, being Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning’s nephew, and College Football Hall of Famer and SEC legend Archie Manning’s grandson has its perks. But name alone cannot guarantee a secure future now, can it? Well, in young Arch’s case, he’s made sure to break out of the Manning shell, and make a name for his own. However, there are still some critics who’ve yet to believe in his talents. We’ll get to this in a bit…

But first, it’s not like the youngest Manning was handed the silver spoon by head coach Steve Sarkisian. For two rigorous seasons, the 19-year-old has chosen to stay in the shadows, closely following his predecessor Quinn Ewers’ each step. But every time the team would need the QB2, he would be there. In his first game last season vs Colorado State, the young player almost immediately proved his mettle—with two minutes left in the third quarter when he made a pass to wide receiver Silas Bolden to push the Longhorns to a 45-0 lead after his first CFB touchdown. In the fourth quarter, he took the lead further at 52-0 with a one-yard touchdown run for a Bert Auburn extra point.

Then, against UTSA, Manning replaced an injured Ewers when the game was 14-0 in their favor. On his first play, the quarterback threw a 19-yard TD to DeAndre Moore. Just two plays later, he again rushed for a 67-yard TD to push the team 28-7. A few plays later, he threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to WR Ryan Ringo, making it a 42-7 lead, and again added another passing touchdown in the fourth quarter to lead the team 49-7. Then quarterback Trey Owens took over, and the game concluded 56-7. Notably, Manning was doing all of this while running 20.7 miles per hour vs the UTSA, breaking Miami Dolphins’ WR Tyreek Hill’s record (20.3 miles per hour). So, one thing’s clear: Manning’s got what it takes to be at the top. But not everyone thinks so…

On March 26, ESPN Adam Rittenberg published a list of the top 15 QBs in college football in 2025 after enlisting “the help of more than a dozen coaches and defensive coordinators who studied the top contenders last season”. As per the article, while Cade Klubnik of the Clemson Tigers secured the coveted top spot, Arch Manning—very surprisingly—found himself in the lowly 12th spot. Why? Well, hear it from the horse’s mouth itself a bit later. For now, though, the community was hardly satisfied with the list, it seems.

Interestingly, just two days later, ESPN went ahead and published 18 minutes worth of pure Arch Manning firework. Captioned, “Check out these highlights from Arch Manning during the 2024-25 college football season as many are already calling him a Heisman favorite for the 2025 season,” the footage included Manning’s games against Colorado State, UTSA, Mississippi State, and Georgia. Three of them saw Texas shine valiantly. But the Longhorns fell to the Bulldogs in both of their meetings this season. Despite his relatively short career, it’s clear 2025 is going to be a big one for the torchbearer of the Manning legacy. As for the rankings…

Klubnik, who compiled 3,639 passing yards, 36 TDs, 6 INTs, 63.4% completions, 463 rushing yards and, 7 rushing TDs, reportedly “enters the fall with a ton of key boxes checked, including his first CFP appearance at Clemson. His dramatic improvement last fall went a bit under the radar nationally after a season-opening loss to Georgia and an early November loss to Louisville, but Klubnik’s numbers really pop.” 

“He’s got a ton of experience, so I think he’ll do an excellent job. Just like any quarterback, he’s been through the struggles, the ups and downs. I thought he finished well and played well for the most part. He’s got a good team around him,” one ACC coach noted, while another called him the “best right now”. But what about Manning? Well, the reasoning behind his demotion was simple. “Normally first-year starters don’t appear on national lists of top quarterbacks, and there are many others who have done more than Manning in actual games,” Rittenberg wrote about the QB who finished with 939 passing yards, 9 TDs, 2 INTs, 67.8% completions, 108 rushing yards, and 4 rushing TDs in 2024.

However, it’s not like coaches are completely sweeping his talents under the carpet. “That was way more natural than I thought it was going to be. I was blown away by how effortless it looked,” one opposing coach said, while another stated, “He’s an elite athlete. He’s still a first-time starter, so people need to give him a little bit of time.” Looks like Arch’s demotion was more about his limited time on the field as opposed to concerns about his talents.

Credits: Imago

Yet, some are clearly ticked off…

Arch Manning not being in the Top 10 was a clear disrespect to many

Rittenberg’s ranking of Manning did not sit well with Locked on Longhorn’s Brad Kellner. In a video last week, he said, “Arch Manning has the second-best odds to win the Heisman Trophy right now, and Texas has the second-best odds to win the national championship here on March 28. So those two things would lead you to believe that maybe Arch Manning is pretty high in that top 15…He made the cut, but he’s a lot lower than I expected—probably lower than you’d expect too. Adam Rittenberg has Manning at 12th—behind guys like Kevin Jennings at SMU, DJ Lagway at Florida, and Haynes King at Georgia Tech.” It’s understandable why fans will be upset with the list.

Rittenberg wrote for Manning, “Manning’s usage for most of the season limited how much coaches could scout him, but his highlights, especially during the first few games, caught some attention. His ability to generate long runs and make throws on the move especially stood out.” But Arch Manning at 12? Surely, he isn’t that bad, even if you take away the family legacy.

Texas has a lot riding on Manning’s shoulders this season. He not only has to deliver upon the expectations fans and experts have, but also prove his worth to Steve Sarkisian. Yes, he might be facing some unnecessary pressures compared to his short career. But Manning has potential, there’s no doubt about it. 2025 is an important year for both Texas and the new quarterback. Hopefully, Manning will make it higher up on Rittenberg’s list in the future.