ULM Coach Says Team Doesn't 'Fear' Texas' Arch Manning; Some Players Beat QB in HS

The Louisiana-Monroe defense apparently isn't sweating the possibility of facing Texas quarterback Arch Manning on Saturday.

"We actually have some kids on our team who played against him in New Orleans, and a couple guys done beat him already," defensive coordinator Earnest Hill told reporters Wednesday when referencing Manning's high school career at Isidore Newman School. "So, they don't hold too much fear against him. They're not gonna hold any fear against him coming up here."

Hill didn't diminish the redshirt freshman's reputation, though, citing his family connections and the extent to which he has been groomed to be a quarterback for a long time.

Manning came on for an injured Quinn Ewers in Texas' 56-7 win over UTSA and might be called upon to start Saturday. Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said Ewers is questionable to suit up against the Warhawks.

Before that, it was a little easier to convince yourself Manning wasn't as good as the hype surrounding him. Plenty of 5-star high school recruits have failed to meet expectations in high school, and having famous relatives who excelled in a sport doesn't guarantee anything.

After Manning's performance last week, the hype might actually be real. He finished 9-of-12 for 223 yards and four touchdowns through the air, and he broke off a 67-yard touchdown run.

You can't expect the ULM players to go in thinking they're gonna get torched, but beating Manning in high school may not count for much in Austin.