Arch Manning Makes 2024 Season Debut

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning has taken the field for the first time in his second season with the team.

Texas Longhorns Arch Manning, 16, during the first fall football camp practice for the Texas Longhorns at Denius Fields on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. | Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

AUSTIN -- Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is receiving some early-season action as the 2024 campaign gets underway.

With No. 4 Texas leading 38-0 in the third quarter on Saturday against Colorado State in Austin, Manning entered the game for Quinn Ewers and took over the reins on offense. He immediately rolled out from the pocket and completed a 40-yard pass to Johntay Cook II on his first snap. He then scrambled and flipped a pass to Silas Bolden for a five-yard score to give Texas a 45-0 lead.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian didn't confirm ahead of time whether or not that Manning would play in the season opener, but admitted Thursday that the big-name prodigy is "light years ahead of where he was last year."

Texas Longhorns Arch Manning, 16, during the first fall football camp practice for the Texas Longhorns at Denius Fields on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. | Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

"He is light years ahead of where he was last year at this time," Sarkisian said about Manning. "His understanding of what we're trying to do offensively, the nuances of the scheme, the timing of certain throws, the protections. All of those things. I just think his overall comfort level and confidence is much higher than a year ago at this time. "

Manning showed off in the spring game in April, finishing 19 of 25 passing for 355 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Last season, he played in just two contests and didn’t appear in his first college game until the regular-season finale against Texas Tech. Manning finished his college debut having gone 2 of 5 passing for 30 yards while adding a 12-yard run. He then took the final snaps in Texas’ 49-21 win over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship.