Legendary Texas Longhorns QB Had This to Say About Arch Manning's Struggles

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning has been a hot topic of debate for many this season.

In the preseason, the legacy quarterback was being heralded as the next great signal caller in a long lineage, but now, halfway through the 2025 season, Manning has been torn apart after not living up to the unprecedented standards placed on him by others.

While there've been flashes of what Manning can be, there have also been frustrating offensive series where the first-year starter has struggled.

Colt McCoy on Arch Manning

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning throws a pass during the second quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

On a recent episode of The Stampede Podcast hosted byLonghorn legends Vince Young and Mack Brown, another Longhorn legend in quarterback Colt McCoy, spoke on the transition Manning was tasked with this season.

"Arch has all the tools to be a great quarterback; he can make all the throws, he's extremely smart and bright, he's a great leader, and his teammates love him," McCoy said. "There's a growth process that happens when you are the guy, when you take the reins, when you're in control, and you've got the football in your hands every play. There are things you're going to see that you haven't seen before, and there are throws you're gonna miss, and there are mistakes you're gonna make."

Comparing Manning and McCoy's First 8 Starts as the Starter

McCoy added to his point by comparing the difference between the hype and expectations he arrived on the Forty Acres with, compared to Manning and the spotlight that was placed on the quarterback just because of his surname.

"Look at the way that I came into the University of Texas, and I'm not comparing him to me, I think he can be very much better than me," McCoy said. "Nobody knew who I was, but Coach Brown knew, not very many people did. The whole world knows who Arch Manning is. There is an ability for us as fans in our program and just the media and college football in general to just see his last name, see that heritage, and just kind of make him the king of the castle right away."

Through Manning's first eight starts as the Longhorns' starting quarterback, he is 6-2 with the only losses coming on the road, suffering defeats to the Ohio State Buckeyes and Florida Gators. In those eight games, Manning has completed 143 of his 235 pass attempts for 1,795 yards, 15 touchdowns to six interceptions, while also being a big piece in the run game with 199 yards and six additional scores.

McCoy was inserted into a difficult position for a first-year starting quarterback, replacing a national championship-winning quarterback in Vince Young after the 2005 season. In his first eight starts in the 2006 season, McCoy was 7-1 with the only loss also coming to the Buckeyes. During the eight-game stretch, McCoy was 126 of 186 passing for 1,449 yards, 20 touchdowns to just three interceptions, with one additional score on the ground.

While there are doubts about whether Manning will be able to play in the Longhorns clash against the No. 9 Vanderbilt Commodores, as the quarterback is still in concussion protocol, McCoy knows as best as anybody that Manning is in a much-needed learning phase as a starting quarterback.

"At some point, he's going to throw a pick, miss a throw, make a turnover, bad decision, like those are gonna happen," McCoy said. "I think you're seeing just the growth process of a young quarterback playing at a really high stage, at a high level. And he's working through it, but it's, it's a growth process, a journey."