Being a Manning ain’t for the weak. That last name comes with expectations heavier than a defensive lineman after an all-you-can-eat buffet. Every pass, every snap, every move Arch Manning makes is scrutinized under a microscope the size of Texas itself. He’s stepping into the QB1 spot at Texas with the weight of generations on his shoulders, and yet, not everybody’s convinced he’s built for it. In fact, one insider just threw some serious shade on his hype, calling him overrated. And suddenly, the Longhorns’ future ain’t looking so picture-perfect.
Eric Cain, a Tennessee insider, didn’t hold back when ranking SEC quarterbacks on his ‘Locked on Vols’ podcast. And when Texas came up, he dropped a bombshell. “My most overrated, and it’s just because it’s a name… When he did play last year, he looked pretty good, but to me, it’s just like, man, we haven’t seen enough. So, like, why is everybody ranking you number one, number two in the SEC right now? Number one, number two, number three, top five in college football? We haven’t seen enough. And, of course, that’s Arch Manning.” Basically, Cain is saying what some folks have been thinking but were too scared to say: is Arch really that HIM, or is the Manning name inflating his stock?
To be fair, Arch didn’t exactly get a full audition in 2024. He spent most of the season backing up Quinn Ewers, but when he did play, he wasn’t just standing around looking pretty. Manning completed 67.8% of his passes for 939 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also added 108 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Solid numbers. But do they scream top-five quarterback in the country? Cain doesn’t think so.
Then, Cain gave backhanded flowers to Arch Manning, “I think Arch Manning is going to be much better than I thought he was going to be. I think he’s going to be a good quarterback; I think he’s going to be a good player. But I thought he was severely overrated in the recruiting cycles. I thought it was name alone… but I think he would certainly be the most overrated name to me in that conversation.”
And he’s not alone. Over on On3’s YouTube channel, Ari Wasserman and Andy Staples also pumped the brakes on the Arch hype train. Wasserman wasn’t buying the whole. He’s only hyped because of his last name argument but still acknowledged that the perception around Arch is murky. “I actually, like, really resent anybody who just thinks that the only thing that we know about Arch is his last name. I think we know more than that… almost think that his name is working against him now.”
The reality check for Arch Manning
So, what’s the deal? Is Arch Manning a future superstar being unfairly doubted, or is he riding the coattails of a legacy he hasn’t earned yet? That’s the million-dollar question. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian used Manning in selective packages where he needed a running threat last season. He also got starts between weeks 3 and 7 when Quinn Ewers was sidelined with an oblique injury. During that stretch, Arch put up 13 total touchdowns, including nine through the air, with just two picks. Not bad for a guy barely getting his feet wet.
But that’s where the scepticism creeps in. A lot of five-star recruits shine in high school, and not all of them become stars in college. Arch came in with the name, the ranking, and the expectations—but has he truly separated himself from the pack? The Longhorns are stepping into the SEC, where defenses aren’t just fast—they’re ruthless. And that’s where the real concern comes in. Texas fans want to believe that Arch is next up, the guy to take them to the promised land. But if he’s not what they think he is?
Andy Staples nailed it: “You don’t have to be Peyton or Eli Manning to look good with the players around you. Even if he’s a 7 out of 10 quarterback… [Texas is] gonna win a lot, and he’s gonna do really well.” But winning because of a strong team versus winning because Arch is HIM are two very different things. The hype? It’s still there. But so is the doubt. And the only way Arch Manning can shut the critics up is by doing what every great quarterback has done before him—prove it on the field.
Come October, Texas Longhorns will start the season opener with a road game against Ohio State in Columbus, the perfect way to prove naysayers right or wrong, then we’ll see if he’s really that guy—or just another name in the family album.
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