The biggest names from the 2023 college football season are soon to hear their names called during the 2024 NFL Draft. But their departures only create space for a new breed of stars, including Arch Manning.
Yet, despite his legendary name, Manning isn’t even expected to start for the Texas Longhorns as he enters his sophomore season. Head coach Steve Sarkisian is turning to former consensus top prospect Quinn Ewers as Texas’ starting quarterback instead.
However, that doesn’t mean plenty of college football spectators aren’t eager to see the son of Cooper Manning and the grandson of Archie get an extended chance to show what he can do.
Recently college football insider Stewart Mandel was asked if there was any way Texas could get Manning into a game, even making a nonconference start, without initiating a “media firestorm.” Mandel cautioned against the idea of allowing Manning to start ahead of Ewers if both are healthy, but he did still outline one potential way for Arch to get on the field.
“I don’t know about starting him because that then becomes a whole thing if he goes out and crushes it. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Steve Sarkisian finds opportunities to at least get Manning meaningful snaps early in the year — not because he’s Arch Manning but because Texas intends to play 16 or 17 games this season.
That has come up a lot in my conversations with coaches lately. Teams with aspirations of reaching and then advancing in a 12-team Playoff are going to need to build depth, not just at quarterback but everywhere. In the past, the only time some second-teamers got in games was after the outcome was decided. That’s mostly to be able to say they got in the game. It’s experience, but it’s not meaningful experience.
It will be interesting this season to see whether coaches become more intentional about getting their younger players real game experience when possible. But with quarterbacks like Manning, it could mean a series here, a series there or just plain pulling the starter earlier if it’s clear you’re going to win fairly easily.”
Stewart Mandel on how Arch Manning could receive 2024 reps for Texas Longhorns
Mandel brings up a really good point. The change to a 12-team playoff could lead to a few gameplan changes across college football for the ‘contending’ teams. Yet, would it really lead to Texas putting Manning in over Ewers early during the season when the game is far from over? We’ll have to wait until this fall to find out.
Related: 2024 NFL mock draft: Vikings snag QB, Jets get a steal in April’s first-round projections