- NCAA. 'Arch Madness' begins as Manning's latest moves spark 'championship confidence' for Texas
- NCAA. Arch Manning takes a major step forward to ease fears over his readiness to take over Texas
There has already been a lot of talk surrounding Texas quarterback Arch Manning, several months before the first ball is kicked off for the 2025 NCAA football season. Manning is not just taking over as the starting quarterback for one of the most prestigious college football teams in the nation; he has been tasked with continuing a family legacy that sent three quarterbacks -- Archie, Eli, and Peyton Manning -- to the NFL, where they combined to win four Super Bowls and bridged multiple generations of signal-callers.
But there is a long way to go before Arch Manning can stamp his authority over the NFL; he has to establish himself as Texas royalty first. And Manning is already facing an uphill battle amid roster turnover -- not to mention that his first game as the undisputed starter will be against the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes.
Injuries, turnover affecting Manning's options
A lingering injury to sophomore wide receiver Deandre Moore is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential problems facing Manning and head coach Steve Sarkisian at Texas. Moore, a former four-star receiver out of high school, is dealing with a toe injury that will affect his activities for spring football -- and for a new-look wide receiver room, to have a possible major contributor hamstring by injury already could be considered a warning sign.
Freshmen Kaliq Lockett and Jaime Ffrench will be under pressure to stand out immediately, while Ryan Wingo is also expected to take another step forward -- especially after he established chemistry with Manning last season. Manning and Wingo linked up for a 75-yard touchdown during a win over Texas-San Antonio last season, showing their potential to make big plays together.
The Longhorns will be leaning on that connection as their wide receiver room gets healthy and adjusts to NCAA football -- and while multiple new starters on the offensive line find their footing. It won't be easy for Manning with all these new moving parts, but the 19-year-old's innate talent might be enough to win out.