Penn State AD Makes Wild Claim About Arch Manning, Texas Longhorns

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning had some ups and down during his first full regular season as a starter but it was ultimately a solid year overall for the star-studded passer.

Matching the otherworldly expectations was never going to be quite realistic for Manning, who entered the season as the most talked about player in college football. As a result of all the hype, Manning was likely among the highest-paid players in the country this year.

It remains a mystery exactly how much money Manning made this season, but an apparent amount seemed to be revealed by Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft in a leaked audio clip that went viral on social media.

Penn State AD Says Arch Manning Got $5 Million From Texas

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning warms up before a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

In the expletive-filled audio clip, Kraft can be heard speaking to unknown Penn State players about multiple topics, including the program's coaching search, other Big Ten teams, and some brief comments about Texas and Manning.

Kraft claims that the Longhorns "gave $5 million" to Manning.

"My buddy is the guy behind Texas ... he put $22 million of his own money into Texas, he gave $5 million to Arch, and they pay 65 guys," Kraft says in the clip.

At first, many college football fans were unsure if it was actually Kraft who delivered the head-turning remarks, but he confirmed this with a public apology while speaking to the media Monday during the introductory press conference for new Penn State head coach Matt Campbell.

Pat Kraft Apologizes for Leaked Audio Clip

Penn State University athletic director Pat Kraft answers questions from the media after Matt Campbell is announced as the Penn State Nittany Lions new head coach during a press conference at the Beaver Stadium Press Room. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

He didn't address the comments about Manning's earnings directly, though Texas fans will certainly have questions that they will likely never get an answer too.

"What I will tell you about that is I'm embarrassed," Kraft said. "I apologize to anyone I might have offended with that video that leaked. Personally, it's been challenging for me. But I am very passionate about Penn State. ... I fell short of the standard that I should represent for all those people, all my staff, all 833 athletes that I represent, and I can’t apologize enough for those who I may have offended. ... I’ve got to be better. ... So we're moving on. We handled it in the family. I'm proud of our guys. I'm proud of them and excited for them to move forward."

If you wanted one of the more wild college football headlines of the season, you got it.

Regardless, any questions about Manning's earnings feel irrelevant at this point considering the impressive level at which he played during the second half of the season.

Arch Manning Had Strong Finish to Season

After a rocky start to the year in which the Longhorns stumbled out to a 3-2 start, Manning turned things up a notch in SEC play, leading Texas to a 6-1 record after that point with three wins over Top-10 teams. The only loss during that span was in Athens against then-No. 5 Georgia.

Manning finished the regular season 227 of 370 passing for 2,942 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions along with 83 carries for 244 yards and eight rushing scores. He also caught a four-yard touchdown. He will now look to add to these numbers when No. 13 Texas faces No. 18 Michigan in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve.

We might never know the exact amount Manning made this season, but he certainly deserves to make even more if he continues to improve headed into next year.