Fan claims Arch Manning's dad Cooper trolls Michigan with hilarious Texas flag gimmick on Wolverines' turf
Texas Longhorns' much-vaunted quarterback Arch Manning opted against entering the transfer portal in the spring despite the unexpected return of QB1 Quinn Ewers.
During the Longhorns' Week 1 52-0 demolition job of the Colorado State Rams, Manning went 5-of-6 for 95 yards and one touchdown after replacing Ewers in the fourth quarter. Now No. 3 Texas (1-0) prepares to play at No. 10 Michigan (1-0) on Saturday.
The Texas quarterback is the son of Cooper Manning and hails from the famous Manning family, with Eli and Peyton Manning being his uncles. Ahead of the Longhorns' road game against the Michigan Wolverines, a fan alleged that Cooper had paid for a Michigan hotel to fly the Texas flag outside the Graduate Hotel to rile Wolverines fans.
The teams were both in the College Football Playoff last season, with Michigan winning the national championship. Therefore, to stir the pot, a fan on X believed that Cooper pulled an ultimate rival move.
“I hear that Cooper Manning paid to have the Texas flag fly outside the Graduate hotel near campus. People in Ann Arbor are not happy about it,” a fan on X wrote.
Pictures posted by fans corroborate the story. It helps that Cooper Manning has stakes in the real estate firm AJ Capital Partners, which owns the Graduate Hotel.
Cooper Manning reveals why Arch Manning remained in Texas
Arch Manning was a five-star recruit from the class of 2022 and was widely expected to compete for the Texas Longhorns' QB1 job. Quinn Ewers stood in his way and took a majority of the snaps last season.
Manning only managed to complete 2-of-5 passes, leading to 30 yards and seven yards on three carries last season in limited game time. He went 19-of-26 for 355 yards resulting in three touchdowns and one interception during the 2024 spring game. This led to questions being asked about whether he would accept the QB2 role.
At the Manning Passing Academy a few weeks ago, his father, Cooper Manning, explained why Arch Manning did not simply enter the transfer portal. This was despite Ewers returning instead of declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft.
"I think there are a lot of people who are probably questioning why he would stick around, and asking, 'Why aren't you moving? Why aren't you going somewhere else?'" Cooper Manning said [via 247sports.com]. "But the grass is not always greener, you know. When you have children who are happy where they are, you don't mess with it. That's as simple as that.
"It's about the overall happiness and development of your son," Cooper said. "If he's happy and enjoying school, enjoying his friends, enjoying his coaches, feels like he's growing and getting better, then those are checking all the boxes for why you went to the school in the first place."
Arch Manning has shown in his limited game time that he is a reliable option for the Texas Longhorns as they attempt to settle into the SEC (Southeastern Conference) and win a national championship.