{
  "id": 2407657,
  "title": "Arch Manning’s next step can make him even more than the face of college football",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/arch-mannings-next-step-can-make-him-even-more-than-the-face-of",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-21T16:32:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "SB Nation",
    "slug": "sb-nation",
    "url": "https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/1125129/arch-manning-texas-nfl-draft-scouting-report-improvement-big-season"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Orlando, FL - Dec 31: Arch Manning, the Texas Longhorns' starting quarterback, kicked off his first full season as the team's signal-caller with a match against Ohio State on August 31, 2025. This was a clash between two preseason Top 25-ranked teams, both vying for the title. Unfortunately, Manning and Texas fell short of victory. The young quarterback struggled against a strong defense that boasted several first-round NFL Draft prospects, throwing an interception and failing to convert five out of 14 third-down opportunities. This pattern of underperformance characterized the Longhorns' offense at the beginning of the season. However, by the season's end, Manning and his team had managed to find their rhythm. The regular season concluded with an unexpected victory over their in-state rivals, the A&M Aggies, eliminating the Aggies from the SEC title game and keeping the Longhorns in contention for the College Football Playoff discussion. While the Longhorns did not earn a playoff berth, Manning's final five games of the season demonstrated potential. He threw for 11 touchdowns, including three in a win over the then-No. 9 Vanderbilt, and only managed one interception in a loss to Georgia, which ultimately ended any chance of a playoff appearance. With a renewed season ahead, the Longhorns aim to build upon their late-season improvements, beginning with the lessons learned from their loss to Ohio State. Manning acknowledged his growth, noting that the game experiences he gained were valuable and would motivate him in the upcoming season. The primary area Manning needs to enhance is his decision-making and timing, ensuring he gets the ball to the right people. His coaches and teammates emphasize the importance of improving his eye-hand coordination, allowing him to make better reads and throws. During practices, they use specific scenarios, such as the 1st-and-20 play against Florida and the 2nd-and-19 play against Florida, to work on his ability to recognize plays and make accurate passes. Manning acknowledges that younger quarterbacks often face challenges in locking onto an initial read and forcing a throw instead of trusting their eyes and progressions. However, as Manning demonstrated late in the season, with a four-touchdown game against Arkansas, the young quarterback can overcome these hurdles with time and experience.",
  "summary": "After months of anticipation, Arch Manning’s first full season as the starting quarterback at Texas got underway on an August afternoon in Columbus against Ohio State. It was a matchup of two teams ranked at the top of the preseason Top 25, and a clash of title hopefuls. It did not go Manning and Texas’ […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}