Arch Manning, Texas Hype Doubted By Steve Spurrier After Sitting Behind Quinn Ewers

The Texas Longhorns are expected to be a powerhouse in the 2025 season, led by exciting young quarterback Arch Manning. Not everybody is necessarily buying the hype, however.

"Most people are picking Texas to win the SEC," former head coach Steve Spurrier said during an appearance on the Another Dooley Noted Podcast (h/t Brett McMurphy of Action Network). "They've got Manning already winning the Heisman too. My question is: If he was this good, how come they let Quinn Ewers play all the time last year? And he was a seventh-round pick."

Well, one answer would be that Ewers never did anything to lose his starting job. He threw for 3,479 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2023, leading Texas to the College Football Playoff. He chose to return last year and threw for 3,472 yards, 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, once again leading Texas to the CFP. In all, he was 33-10 as the Longhorns' starter across three seasons.

Manning, meanwhile, was a freshman in 2023 and a sophomore last year. Few people would argue against him having more upside than Ewers, but it's not as though he was backing up some scrub.

And when Manning did have his moment to play last season he was fantastic, throwing for 939 yards, nine touchdowns and just two interceptions.

There is plenty of precedent for players initially operating as backups before emerging as stars themselves. Steve Young, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers are prominent examples at the NFL level. So while Texas may ultimately prove to be overhyped, as Spurrier alluded to, the example he used to make the point could have been stronger.