Why Steve Sarkisian Wants Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning to Focus on Himself

As the Texas Longhorns gear up to take on the Florida Gators on Saturday for their first SEC game of the 2025 season, head coach Steve Sarkisian said he feels that this game is the true start to the Longhorns’ season.

“I would say the way our scheduling lined up… it was kind of like we just finished up preseason play with four non-conference games,” Sarkisian said in the weekly SEC teleconference. “And now, we’re into the regular season. Now, we’re into SEC play.”

Sitting at a 3-1 record and fresh off a bye-week, many look towards quarterback Arch Manning to lead the Longhorns as they kick-start SEC gametime — here is how Sarkisian believes Manning can stay focused to help Texas win.

He plays at his best when his mind is clear

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before a game against UTEP Miners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Sept. 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

“We’ve got eight straight SEC ballgames. As we know, all very difficult and challenging, not only physically but mentally, and all that entails, emotionally,” Sarkisian added. “For Arch, it’s continuing to be him.”

For Manning, with all the attention swirling around him, Sarkisian said that the young quarterback doesn’t have to play to that.

“(He just has to) focus on his teammates, focus on what he needs to do to prepare, focus on having some fun, playing football,” Sarkisian said. “That’s when he’s at his best, and I think at the end of it, that will serve as a real positive for him.”

This season, Manning has recorded nine touchdowns and three interceptions for 888 passing yards. The quarterback also maintains a completion percentage of 61.3 and has rushed for five touchdowns across 123 yards.

With some early-season hiccups, the Longhorn took a little longer than anticipated to get settled into his responsibilities as the full-time starter. He proved to struggle finding a passing rhythm in the first few games, but has slowly gained his confidence and comfort on the field.

“I think at the end of the day… in your first season, there’s going to be growing pains and there’s going to be learning experiences, (and) the key to the drill is to learn from those experiences,” Sarkisian said.

With the football legacy being named as the Heisman favorite, and Texas ranking No. 1 overall in the AP polls, the Longhorns faced high expectations heading into the 2025 season, to which many critics have claimed they’ve fallen short.

Despite this, Sarkisian said he credits Manning and his teammates for how they’ve handled everything in the first month of the season, and wants them to continue their work.

“I thought those guys handled it really well, and have come out on the other side of it, and then used it as a real positive to grow from,” Sarkisian said. “Now, he can get back to being the player that he wants to be, and is capable of being, and the teammate that he wants to be, and the leader that he is.”

Watch Manning lead the Longhorns into The Swamp on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on Sling TV.