Arch Manning debuts: Texas star freshman QB flashes mobility after entering as Longhorns rout Texas Tech

Arch Manning made his debut Friday night for No. 7 Texas as the Longhorns crushed Texas Tech 57-7 to secure their spot in the Big 12 Championship Game. The highly touted freshman quarterback entered late in the third quarter with the Longhorns leading 50-7, receiving a rousing ovation from an announced crowd of 102,452 at Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium.

The nephew of Super Bowl champion quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning showed his athleticism shortly after checking in when he scrambled for a first down on a third-and-4 play. Later, he ran for a gain of 12 on a second-and-18 before firing a couple of incompletions to the end zone while playing mostly with other reserves.

On his second series, Manning led a 13-play, 91-yard touchdown drive that ate 7:59 off the clock. Manning completed two passes on the impressive march while keeping the home crowd engaged in a blowout that had long since been decided. First, he connected with Johntay Cook II for a 17-yard gain on third-and-3. A few plays later, he hit Casey Cain for a gain of 13 on a fourth-and-5 play which helped set up Texas’ final touchdown.

Manning finished 2-of-5 passing for 30 yards with 7 yards rushing. His ground yardage was negatively impacted on his first series by a botched snap that required Manning to fall on the football for a loss of 10 yards.

Ranked by 247Sports as the No. 1 overall player in the Class of 2023, Manning chose Texas over the likes of Alabama and Georgia to cap one of the most highly publicized recruitments of the 21st century. But the hype surrounding his career has been tempered in 2023 by the realities of the Longhorns’ quarterback depth.

Former five-star prospect Quinn Ewers has enjoyed a solid redshirt sophomore season. When Ewers was out due to a shoulder injury for two games earlier this season, it was Maalik Murphy who stepped into the starting role. Still, the future is bright for Manning, who will be able to count the 2023 season as a redshirt year.

Should Ewers declare for the NFL Draft after this season, Manning would theoretically battle Murphy for the starting job in 2024. However, there is no indication that Ewers plans to turn pro, which could delay Manning’s timeline to be in line for significant playing time.