Arch Manning's strong performance in Saturday's win against Louisiana-Monroe has raised questions about the future of the Texas Longhorns' quarterback position, with analyst Joel Klatt questioning whether the team should be concerned about Quinn Ewers' injury.
Arch Manning's impressive performance in Texas Longhorns' 56-7 victory over Louisiana-Monroe has raised questions about the future of the team's quarterback position.
Manning, a five-star recruit and the son of former NFL great Archie Manning and nephew of legendary quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, showcased his talent in just his second career start. He completed 15 of 21 passes for 200 yards and five touchdowns, leading the team to a dominant victory.
Arch Manning's Impressive Performance Raises Questions for Texas Longhorns
His performance has sparked speculation about whether he could supplant incumbent starter Quinn Ewers, who left Saturday's game with an injury in the second quarter. Ewers, who transferred from Ohio State in the offseason, has struggled with injuries and inconsistency this season.
Analyst Joel Klatt, speaking on the Fox News "Joel Klatt Show," questioned whether Texas should be concerned about Ewers' injury, given Manning's strong performance.
Arch Manning's Impressive Performance Raises Questions for Texas Longhorns
"If Ewers is out for an extended period of time, it does raise the question of whether Texas should consider giving Arch Manning the starting job," Klatt said. "He played extremely well against Louisiana-Monroe, and he has the potential to be a special player."
Klatt pointed to Manning's poise and accuracy, as well as his ability to make plays with his legs.
Arch Manning's Impressive Performance Raises Questions for Texas Longhorns
"He's not the biggest quarterback, but he's tough and he's got a good arm," Klatt said. "I think he could handle the starting job if needed."
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has not publicly stated whether he would consider making a change at quarterback if Ewers misses significant time. However, he did acknowledge that Manning's performance has been impressive.
Arch Manning's Impressive Performance Raises Questions for Texas Longhorns
"Arch has come in and played very well," Sarkisian said. "He's a talented quarterback, and we're fortunate to have him."
The Longhorns are 2-1 this season, with their only loss coming to No. 1 Alabama. They will face their toughest test to date this weekend when they travel to No. 12 Oklahoma State.
If Ewers is unable to play against the Cowboys, it will be up to Manning to lead the Longhorns. And if he plays as well as he did against Louisiana-Monroe, he could make a strong case to be the team's starting quarterback for the rest of the season.
* **Michigan:** The Wolverines bounced back from a loss to Washington with a convincing 27-24 victory over USC.
* **Josh Heupel:** The Tennessee Volunteers upset Oklahoma 28-10, giving Heupel a signature win in his third season in Knoxville.
* **Utah:** The Utes won their first road game of the season, 22-19 at Oklahoma State, despite playing without starting quarterback Cam Rising.
* **Alex Orji:** The Michigan quarterback made his first career start and led the Wolverines to victory.
* **Shedeur Sanders:** The Colorado quarterback threw a Hail Mary touchdown pass to force overtime and led the Buffaloes to a 41-38 victory over Baylor.
* **Clemson:** The Tigers rebounded from a 1-1 start with a 59-35 victory over NC State.
* **James Madison:** The Dukes scored 70 points and upset North Carolina 70-50.
* **Monmouth:** The Hawks shocked Florida International 45-42 for their first-ever victory against an FBS opponent.
* **North Carolina:** The Tar Heels suffered a humiliating 70-50 loss to FCS opponent James Madison.
* **Oklahoma:** The Sooners lost to Tennessee 28-10, their second straight loss and fourth in their last five games.
* **Baylor:** The Bears blew a 31-24 lead and lost to Colorado in overtime, dropping to 2-2 on the season.
* **Nebraska:** The Cornhuskers lost to Illinois 35-21, spoiling their promising start to the season.
* **Virginia Tech:** The Hokies lost to Rutgers 26-23, extending their non-conference losing streak to 12 games.
* **Kansas State:** The Wildcats were blown out by BYU 38-9, their worst loss of the season.
