Steve Sarkisian Defends Arch Manning After Underwhelming Debut vs. Ohio State

Sarkisian has his quarterback's back.

Sarkisian defended Manning his first start of 2025 fell short of lofty expectations. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

In one of the most highly anticipated starts in recent memory, Texas Longhorns sophomore quarterback Arch Manning underwhelmed relative to the lofty expectations placed on his shoulders, as he struggled for much of the contest en route to a 14-7 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday.

But in defense of his starting quarterback, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian pushed back against the runaway train of hype that surrounded Manning while also preaching patience when it comes to the talented signal-caller.

"I mean, sure, I always want him to play better," Sarkisian said when asked if Manning met his expectations. "...And so for Arch, the expectations were out of control on the outside. But I'd say let's finish the book before we judge it. This is one chapter, and we got a long season to go play."

Despite showing flashes of his talent in a fourth quarter scoring drive, Manning was inconsistent for much of the contest, which saw him complete 17-of-30 passes for 130 yards, one touchdown pass and one interception. Seeing as Manning entered the day as the odds-on favorite to take home the Heisman Trophy and already has pundits salivating about his chances of entering the 2026 NFL draft, the performance was far from satisfactory.

But, the burden of expectations aside, even Manning himself felt he could have played better.

"Ultimately, not good enough," Manning told reporters after the game. "Obviously, you don't want to start off the season going 0-1. They're a good team, but I thought we beat ourselves a lot. That starts with me. I’ve got to play better for us to win."

Week 2 will bring forth an opportunity for Manning to do just that, as Texas will take on San Jose State in the program's home opener in Austin.

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