The Film Guy Reviews Arch Manning's Bounce-Back Week 4 Performance vs. Sam Houston

Following the bye, quarterback Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns open up Southeastern Conference play on the road in Gainesville, taking on the Florida Gators.

Ahead of this test for Manning, Brooks Austin of The Film Guy Network reviewed the quarterback's tape against the Sam Houston Bearkats. Within what is being labeled a "bounce-back" performance for Manning, Austin had the goal of answering two questions: Is he mechanically clean, and is he better with his timing and progression?

Here are Austin's takeaways from Manning's showing, broken down chronologically by drive:

Opening Drive -- 1st Quarter

Sep 20, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Jerrick Gibson (9) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Sam Houston Bearkats at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Manning started shakily. On the first play of the game, he has two good options downfield but opts to throw a checkdown that gets tipped at the line of scrimmage.

"He's just not trusting what he's seeing there," Austin said.

On his next attempt, Manning completes his first pass of the game to a wide-open, crossing DeAndre Moore Jr., but his throw dips and forces an on-the-ground catch from his receiver.

"We get it completed. That's great. But we are a yards after catch football team, right?" Austin said. "Your ball, your accuracy as a quarterback, will ultimately depict how much your wide receiver can actually do after the catch with that football. We gotta throw a runner right here, not a diver."

The mechanics were just a little off early on.

Manning followed up this start with a combination of a quarterback counter, in which Manning gets the chance to "dust off his legs," and then a screen pass to running back Christian Clark soon after. The 16-yard gain from Clark got the Longhorns comfortably into Sam Houston territory.

"You've got to hit 100% of the layups coach gives you," Austin said. "These layups, throughout the football game, can accumulate into massive chunk plays for your offense because [head coach Steve Sarkisian] a really good play designer."

Manning's next throw, a 16-yard comebacker to wide receiver Daylon McCutcheon, was called back for holding, but it did show Manning's ability to climb the pocket, despite another dipping ball.

"The more and more he's running around, the more and more he's being an athlete, I think the less (his mind) is moving," Austin said.

The following throw is one Austin found concerning. With the offense backed up, Sarkisian set up a screen play to Moore. Manning double-clutched with his body before throwing a ball that Moore needed "three hard steps upfield" to catch. Though Moore still gained eight yards, Manning's execution altered the intended timing and location of the play:

While an easy fix, Manning's hesitancy was an obvious and impactful aspect to the play.

Nonetheless, Manning went on to earn more yards with a 15-yard completion to wide receiver Parker Livingstone. Soon after, Texas found paydirt for the first time through running back Jerrick Gibson.

Second Drive -- 1st Quarter

Sep 20, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs in for a touchdown past Sam Houston Bearkats linebacker Antivirus Fish (6) during the first half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

In the opening play of the Longhorns' second drive, Austin saw impressive mechanics out of Manning in a play-action completion to wide receiver Ryan Wingo.

"He's rocking his momentum off of play-action to create the whipping action to get this ball out into the flat," Austin said. "This is when his lower body and his kinetic movements are working together. When you're connected as a thrower, the ball is going to have life."

Watch here:

But the mechanics aren't consistent. Per Austin's evaluation, Manning is still having problems every so often with his leftward lean. On another play-action play, Manning rolled left, and his momentum didn't stop fully before the throw.

"He pulls this sucker low and to the left," Austin said. "He's an overthrower. When he throws the ball, he throws it too hard. He's not out here lobbing the football like Quinn (Ewers) was. He is too hard of a thrower, almost like a (baseball) closer that we've gotta figure out accuracy problems with."

But the next play is the one Austin feels "unlocked" Manning.

"I'm not going to say it's his Joe Burrow moment, but it was like watching that," he said.

Manning delivers a bullet with a cover-zero blitz from the Bearkats in his face:

"All this stuff that we just showed you, all of this almost jitteriness in the pocket, all of this overthrowing stuff, we're almost about to eliminate most of it, right after this play right here," Austin said. "This is a big-time football play."

The Longhorns enter the redzone plays after. On a 2nd & 5, Manning rumbles his way into the endzone for a confidence-boosting score -- and we've all seen his reaction.

"God forbid you have emotions when you play football," Austin said.

Third Drive -- 2nd Quarter

Manning needed just one throw on the third drive to cap a three-play, 70-yard drive.

He found Jordan Washington all alone on the left side of the field for a walk-in touchdown. Manning effectively moved up in the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield, making his delivery to Washington look easy.

"I think he is going to be able to do this type of stuff, consistently, even in our conference," Austin said about the play. "I think he is a good enough athlete to buy time with his legs, and I think it's part of the reason he had so much more success in this football game. I'm glad they allowed him to be an athlete."

Fourth Drive -- 2nd Quarter

Sep 6, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. (0) leads players on to the field before the game against the San Jose State Spartans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Manning began this drive with what was my favorite throw of his against Sam Houston -- a deep crosser to Moore that gained 38 yards. The quarterback fit his throw into a tight window between two defenders right on Moore's body.

"That ball right there is as good as it gets. That is a great anticipatory, zone-beating throw right there," Austin said.

Austin looks back to the first play of the game, where Manning had a similar route open but opted to throw that checkdown instead, which fell incomplete. It is a simple illustration of the confidence Manning developed in his reads and timing.

Once the Longhorns entered the redzone, however, it did not go as planned. They backed themselves up with a holding call once again. On a 3rd & 7 from the ten-yard line, Manning waited for something to open up, but ultimately extended the play too long.

"Get rid of the football, Arch," Austin said. "Put it into the box somewhere up and away. Don't take a sack right here. Because this sack might turn into a sack fumble if we're not careful. It just feels like our spatial awareness, we don't realize what's going on yet."

Texas took its three through kicker Mason Shipley to extend the lead to 24.

Fifth Drive -- 2nd Quarter

Sep 6, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns kick returner Ryan Niblett (21) is tackled by San Jose State Spartans linebacker Ethan Powell (26) during the opening kickoff at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

With more comfort for Manning as the game moved on, things started getting simpler. Sarkisian employed two effective wide receiver screens, the first to McCutcheon and the second to gadget Ryan Niblett, within five plays of each for 60 yards total.

"It's the reality of this offense. If you can make the layups in Sark's offense, he's going to give you 200 yards," Austin said. "You are going to show up on Saturday afternoon, you're going to have 200 yards available to you. The rest of it is just, how good are you, because these weapons and these screen works are elite."

Manning finished the drive with his second rushing touchdown of the day. When reviewing the play, Austin expressed his belief that Manning's legs have to be a primary feature of the Texas offense. His ability to handle contact is too valuable not to be used.

3rd Quarter Drives

Sep 20, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo (1) catches a pass for a touchdown ahead of Sam Houston Bearkats defensive back Alonzo Edwards III (0) during the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Manning played two drives in the second half before being pulled. Both ended with touchdowns to Wingo -- the first a well-placed, well-timed deep shot; the second a 13-yard slant in which Manning stood in the pocket, took a shot and put the throw on target.

These were the pinnacle of Manning's 300-yard, five-total-touchdown performance and a potential indication of what could be coming.

"It totally looks like a different player from the first two or three series," Austin said. "I think we unlocked something, and it wasn't the standing over, 'aura-farming' No. 6 [on Sam Houston]. It was standing in, taking shots like that right there and delivering strikes. That's what opened this dude's confidence."

Now it is time to see if he brings that confidence to the SEC, starting at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday afternoon.