Arch Manning Set for 1st Texas Start vs. Louisiana Monroe amid Quinn Ewers Injury

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters on Thursday that Arch Manning would make his first career college start on Saturday against Louisiana Monroe, with Quinn Ewers still sidelined due to an oblique strain.

Manning was brilliant in relief duty for Ewers last week against UTSA, throwing for 223 yards and four touchdowns while adding a 67-yard touchdown scamper. He certainly looked the part of a former No. 1 overall recruit.

Sarkisian was pleased with that effort:

"You never know, as a backup, when you're going to get put in the game. For [Manning] to come in on his first play to hit DeAndre Moore for the touchdown. On his third play—we're in a little different style of offense when he's in there—the little zone read, to pull it and the explosive play. I love the post throw to Ryan Wingo for the for the long touchdown. The big corner route to Ryan. He threw a beautiful kind of slot fade to Johntay Cook for a touchdown. He did some nice things for us and extended some drives on third downs. So that was a great experience for him that he got."

It also had social media buzzing.

In almost any other situation, Texas might have a quarterback controversy on its hands. But Ewers has been brilliant, leading Texas to the College Football Playoff last season and convincing wins over Colorado State and Michigan to start the 2024 campaign.

This season, he's thrown for 691 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions, completing an impressive 73.4 percent of his passes. Those aren't the sort of numbers that put a quarterback at risk just because the hotshot sophomore looked good in one game.

Sarkisian also noted that Ewers was quick to support Manning.

"Quinn, he just wants to keep playing, you know?" he told reporters. "Nobody wants to have to come out of the game because you get injured, but I think if you asked Quinn today, he's fired up for him, because he knows how hard Arch has been working."

"The growth that [Manning's] shown and the ability to work at his craft, there's a real level of appreciation, I think, from Quinn to Arch," Sarkisian added. "But also Arch to Quinn because I know Arch has been there supporting Quinn through his journey as well. So that's a sign of a great room and a sign of a good team."