Did Arch Manning enter the transfer portal? Taking a closer look at Texas QB's future in college football
Arch Manning, the longhorns-football" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Texas Longhorns quarterback, spent most of his freshman season on the bench behind star QB Quinn Ewers as the Longhorns made it to the college football playoffs.
With the transfer portal open until April 30, there has been speculation that Arch Manning would enter it.
Did Arch Manning enter the transfer portal?
Arch Manning has not entered the transfer portal and does not appear to be planning to do so during the window. Even if he did transfer, he could not go to another SEC program, as conference rules forbid players from joining a different SEC program during the spring window.
The speculation that Manning would transfer out of Austin relates to the current quarterback situation for the Longhorns. Texas has kept the services of Quinn Ewers for the upcoming season, meaning that Manning will again be spending the season as his backup and not on the field.
For many players who were seen as top prospects coming out of high school (like Manning was), the possibility of spending another season on the bench is enough to make a player transfer to another school where they were able to be the starter.
But Arch Manning does not appear to be bothered about it.
What has Steve Sarkisian said about Arch Manning?
Despite having only played a number of snaps for the Longhorns, Manning has gained praise from Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian.
"The thing about him [Arch Manning] that I think most people probably don't give him enough credit for, he is a really good athlete," Sarkisian said (h/t CBS Sports). "He's big, he's strong and he's fast. Sometimes he'll lean into using his legs to create explosive plays … we like that, but we want that to almost be the last resort."
Arch Manning can use his strong run game to gain yards, unlike his uncles Peyton and Eli Manning, who were significantly stronger in passing.
This is not surprising. A mobile quarterback is more common in today's game, with quarterbacks like Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson becoming strong in both passing and rushing games.
Manning's strength on the run game could be something that Sarkisian and the Longhorns could use this season, with Manning playing snaps from position to suit the run game and Ewers playing the rest. This will not only give Arch Manning time on the field to develop as a player but also lessen the pressure on Ewers.