Arch Manning stepped in for Quinn Ewers after the Texas Longhorns’ starting quarterback sustained an upper-body injury. Manning had an impressive outing, passing for 223 yards, throwing four touchdowns, and adding a 67-yard touchdown run to his performance. His run surpassed Vince Young’s record for the longest run by a Texas quarterback since 2005. Both Manning and Ewers were top recruits in their class according to the On3 Industry Rankings. With UL Monroe on the horizon and Mississippi State coming up on September 28, Texas faces a crucial decision.
On a recent “Always College Football” episode, Greg McElroy weighed in, praising Manning’s performance against UTSA but advocating for Ewers to remain the starter. McElroy acknowledged Ewers’ significant contributions last season, including leading Texas to the College Football Playoff with 3,479 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
“I love what I saw from Arch Manning,” McElroy said. “There are people suggesting Arch should definitely be the starter over Quinn Ewers. But let’s not forget that Ewers just dominated Michigan and led a playoff run last year. Manning’s impressive 65-yard touchdown run doesn’t change the fact that Ewers has been stellar.”
Although Manning shone in his relief role, McElroy maintained that Ewers, who had 185 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception before his injury, should remain the starting quarterback. “Arch was fantastic and his numbers were outstanding,” McElroy added. “However, he was filling in for a quarterback who had already delivered a strong performance. Manning will be great in time, but for now, it’s Ewers’ team.”
With Week 4 approaching, Steve Sarkisian faces a critical decision as Texas prepares to face UL Monroe on September 21 at 8 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ and ESPN.
