Heir to Manning QB legacy, Arch Manning’s loyalty towards Texas applauded by CFB insider after Nico Iamaleava’s ugly exit
Arch Manning's decision not to enter the transfer portal after Quinn Ewers decided to return for another year after the 2023 college football season surprised many fans and analysts.
While many people advised him to go to another university and secure the starting quarterback position, many fans applauded his decision to stick to the process and continue developing under Steve Sarkisian.
Arch Manning's patience is appreciated now more than ever as Tennessee's Nico Iamleava's NIL situation receives flak from fans amid his abrupt exit from the program.
Regarding the situation, analyst RJ Young praised Arch Manning for his loyalty to Texas on Wednesday during his podcast, "The Number One College Football Show."
"He has also been willing to buy his time and wait. He was never a guy who was going to Steve Sarkisian and saying; I'm a better quarterback than Quinn Ewers, play me right now, never threatened to enter the transfer portal, and had been very consistent in Texas, even as he was a small child.
"He took his visits; he went to other schools. He wanted to go to Texas. They made it happen. He has become the wet dream of quarterbacks in the name image, and like this era, he is a five-star, number one rated player who has the humility and grace and confidence, frankly, to just want to play ball." (5:10)
Arch Manning opens up about relationship with Quinn Ewers
Arch Manning spent two years on the bench behind Quinn Ewers, and since then, there has been a lot of chatter in the media and among the fans about whether Manning should start some of the games instead of Ewers.
Talking about his relationship with Ewers after Texas's spring game scrimmage, Manning replied by saying Ewers has always been so good to him over the years, even though it must be annoying having him as a backup because of all the media noise.
“He’s just been so good to me over the years, it’s probably pretty annoying having me as a backup, just with all the media stuff,” Manning told reporters after Thursday's practice. “But he handled it like a champ.”
Reacting to this statement, one of the reporters asked Manning if he really thought all that was stupid. Manning said, "For sure," which invited a wave of laughter in the room.