How Oklahoma Plans to Neutralize ‘Tremendous’ Texas QB Arch Manning

NORMAN — Though OU and Texas are bitter rivals, the Sooners have nothing but respect for Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning.

Manning is widely viewed as a first-round prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft. He has led the Longhorns to a 4-0 start and the current No. 1 ranking in the AP Top 25.

“He’s a really good player,” OU coach Brent Venables said. “Arch is a fantastic talent. He’s got a cannon of an arm. He can really run. He’s a tremendous athlete. I think he knows that.”

As Venables alluded to, Manning is a dual-threat signal caller.

The quarterback threw for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions last year while completing 61.4 percent of his pass attempts. Manning also finished 2025 with 399 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

Manning is listed at 6-foot-4 and 224 pounds, and the combination of his bulky frame and his elusiveness makes him tough to bring down.

"He's got no weaknesses when it comes to his talent, his ability, his arm, his legs, his instincts,” Venables said. “His best football’s still in front of him. He’ll be a great, great challenge for us.”

Oklahoma’s defensive players, however, are used to facing shifty, dynamic quarterbacks.

Already in 2026, the Sooners have attempted to contain Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, Michigan’s Bryce Underwood and UTEP’s EJ Colson, all of whom possess dual-threat capabilities. Last year, OU battled other dual-threat quarterbacks like Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, former Missouri starter Beau Pribula and ex-LSU signal caller Michael Van Buren.

Defensive tackle David Stone is well aware of Manning’s talent and athleticism. But he believes that he and his teammates are up to the challenge of containing Texas’ versatile signal caller.

“I feel like we've got pretty good looks at what it's going to be like going against him for two years,” Stone said. “So Arch is a good quarterback, an amazing guy. Just looking forward to this game, and we're going to put it out there on tape.”

The best plan of attack for Oklahoma’s defense? Keeping Manning in the pocket.

While Manning’s physical tools are undeniable, his passing has been inconsistent to begin 2026 — like it was during the first half of the 2025 season.

Manning has been held below 210 passing yards in three of Texas’ first four games of the year, and the lone exception came in the Longhorns’ 59-7 win over Texas State. Against UTSA, Manning completed only 16 of his 32 pass attempts for 161 yards. Most recently, Manning threw an interception and got sacked six times in the Longhorns’ 20-17 win against Tennessee.

Manning is still far from a finished product. And while OU’s defensive players aren’t underestimating him, they know that making Manning beat them with his arm is the most likely path to victory.

“You just gotta keep him in the pocket,” defensive end Taylor Wein said. “He's a weapon with his feet. He's got a long stride. He's a lengthy dude. Great throwing arm. We just gotta keep him in the pocket.”

Defensive back Reggie Powers III said, “He’s a good quarterback. We have no discouragement in our defense being able to stop him… As long as we’re locked in on the game plan and doing the right things we’re supposed to do, we’ll stop him.”

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