Can Arch Manning Take the Next Step for the Texas Longhorns?

The Texas Longhorns were filled with preseason expectations ahead of the 2025 season. Entering the season as the number one team in the country, it was National Championship or bust for Steve Sarkisian's squad.

On the team though, it was first-year starting quarterback Arch Manning who held the weight of the expectations on his shoulders. With a family name that echoes football, and the signal-caller for the largest college sports brand in the country, he was expected to be a star.

While he may not have lived up to every expectation given to him, he was still an elite level quarterback for the Longhorns. Now, Greg McElroy on On3 debated whether or not Manning can take his game to the next level for 2026 in his podcast Always College Football.

Built to Be a Winner

Texas Longhorns Quarterback Arch Manning — Nov 22, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass in the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Despite high expectations for Manning, he showed he was more than capable of being the guy the Longhorns needed to the quarterback position. He finished 27th in the country in passing yards, totaling 3,163 yards on the year and finished 17th in passing touchdowns with 26. He showed off his speed too, finishing second on the team in rushing yards with 399 on 96 carries. Now in year two, he will look to make the jump to be even better.

“The interesting thing when looking at Texas in 2026 is not talent. We know Texas has talent,” McElroy said on Always College Football. “They’ve been talented for as long as I can remember. The real question, however, is does Texas become a quarterback-defined football team? There’s a big difference between a team that wins because it has a better roster, and a team that wins because its quarterback gives them that repeatable identity in the biggest moments of the game."

Manning showed flashes of stepping up to the moments as they presented its self. He played his best game of the season up to the point in the Red River Showdown, taking down their rivals the Oklahoma Sooners. He did it again in the second half in the Lone Star Showdown, shaking off a slow first half to mount the comeback and take down their rivals the Texas A&M Aggies.

“So 2026 for Texas is not ‘can Arch make the wow throws?’ We know he can make the wow throws, right?" McElroy continued on about Manning. "It’s can Arch make the right throws in the right time in the moment when defenses are trying to take away his comfort level? If he can, Texas has the profile of a title team. Not because the roster is great, but because the offense becomes something that defenses will fear every single snap.”

Part of that success for the Longhorns comes from Manning, who has shown he can be everything the Longhorns offense needs from their signal-caller. Now featuring a roster that added two of the top transfer running backs, and the number one transfer receiver, the sky could be the limit for what Manning can do in year two as a full-time starter.

Built to Be a Winner

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