CFB insider believes Arch Manning's introduction will turn Texas into a Ferrari like Lewis Hamilton's move to Prancing Horse
Arch Manning is now ready to take the reins for Texas, with Quinn Ewers heading to the NFL draft after three seasons as the Longhorns' starting quarterback. Ewers’ performance this past season raised questions about whether Manning should have already been the one in charge.
Manning is expected to be the starter for Texas in 2025, and head coach Steve Sarkisian is likely to tailor the offense to suit Manning’s strengths, hoping it will propel the team toward a national title.
College football expert RJ Young expressed confidence that Sarkisian would adjust the offense to suit Manning's abilities, making an analogy to Formula 1 racing.
"I think, knowing that you also have Arch Manning here, you're going to change the offense," Young said.
"If you feel like you've got Lewis Hamilton going from the 2023 godawful Mercedes that was unpredictable, that was skiddish ... and you're jumping into a Ferrari — it's got straight-line speed, it's got a better engine ... then, yeah, you're right."
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What is Texas getting with Arch Manning?
Arch Manning watched Ewers fall short against the Bulldogs twice this season. Ironically, Young also likened Texas' situation to that of Georgia's before they won it all. He refrained from comparing racecar brands in this juxtaposition.
"You'll recall that the more talented guy was behind Jake Fromm in Justin Fields and, later, Stetson Bennett," Young said. "Even with a five-star like J.T. Daniels on the roster, Stetson Bennett ends up being the guy."
"I think, knowing that you needed to level up — even a little bit — at the quarterback situation, is what helped thrust Georgia from a team that was playing for a national championship into a team that won one."
Young wondered if Sarkisian would have called a pitch from the 1-yard line late against Ohio State had Manning been behind center instead of Ewers. That decision ultimately decided the fate of a would-be tying score when the Buckeyes' Jack Sawyer got to Ewers, stripped the ball and returned it for a back-breaking touchdown.
"Would he have called QB power?" Young asked rhetorically. "Would he have called a bootleg? Would he have done something different with Arch Manning at quarterback?"
The Longhorns are losing a good bit of talent to the NFL. Top-rated offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. is headed there, as is receiver Matthew Golden. Despite this, Young said Texas should feel as settled at quarterback as they did during the era of Colt McCoy, the last quarterback to lead them to a national title game.