The Texas Longhorns are 3-0, ranked No. 1 and coming off another comfortable win. That still wasn’t enough to keep one ESPN analyst from sounding an alarm about Arch Manning before the Longhorns begin SEC play.
Manning helped Texas beat UTSA 30-6 on Saturday, but the box score didn’t tell the entire story. He completed 17 of 33 passes for 164 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 50 rushing yards.
Manning’s performance caught the attention of ESPN analyst Jordan Reid, who spends his year evaluating quarterbacks and NFL prospects.
“As Texas begins SEC play this week, I’ll be circling Arch Manning vs. Tennessee. Simply put, the UTSA film is rough. Sailing passes, predetermining reads, bad footwork, and dropping his eyes prematurely to tuck and run. How will he respond in a tough environment? Let’s see,” Reid said.
The environment Reid spoke of will be Neyland Stadium, where Texas faces Tennessee on Saturday in its SEC opener.
It’s arguably one of the most difficult places to play for road teams in all of college football.
Per Volquest, that’s what Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian believes anyways: “We’re going into what I would probably consider is the loudest stadium in the country, Neyland Stadium.”
Arch Manning Gets ‘Rough’ Film Warning Before Tennessee
Reid didn’t make his concern about Manning vague. He pointed directly to several quarterback issues he saw against UTSA, including accuracy, reads, footwork and Manning leaving the pocket too early.
The raw numbers help explain some of the concern.
Manning completed only 51.5% of his passes. His longest completion went for 24 yards, and Texas averaged 4.9 yards per pass attempt as a team.
Manning did throw both of his touchdowns to Cam Coleman, including a 24-yard score on Texas’ opening possession and a 3-yard touchdown in the second quarter. He also remained a threat with his legs, carrying nine times for 50 yards.
Texas still won comfortably because its defense overwhelmed UTSA.
The Longhorns held the Roadrunners to 142 total yards, only 70 through the air, and no touchdowns. UTSA went 1-for-11 on third down while Texas possessed the ball for nearly 37 minutes.
Through three games, Manning has 500 passing yards. Texas has found ways to win anyway, but Reid’s concern is clearly about whether those mechanics and decisions become more costly once the competition and environment get tougher.
Texas Faces Different Test at Neyland Stadium
Manning’s was one week removed from when he delivered his biggest moment of the season in a comeback win over Ohio State.
Texas trailed then-No. 1 Ohio State 23-3 entering the fourth quarter on Sept. 12 before storming back for a 24-23 victory. Manning completed 8 of 11 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown in the final quarter as the Longhorns erased the 20-point deficit.
He finished that game 23-of-37 for 196 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Now the setting changes.
Texas leaves Austin for the first time this season and heads to Neyland Stadium for a noon ET kickoff against a Tennessee team that enters the matchup ranked No. 14 in the country.
It will also be the first regular-season meeting between Texas and Tennessee. Their previous three meetings all came in the Cotton Bowl.
Manning has shown he can respond when Texas gets punched, as Ohio State learned in the fourth quarter.
Reid’s question is whether the mistakes he saw against UTSA will follow Manning into a far less forgiving environment.
For a Texas team beginning SEC play with national championship expectations, the answer could become clear very quickly in Knoxville.
ESPN Analyst Gives Troubling Arch Manning Message Before Texas-Tennessee