Pressure is immense when a team is splurging 280k on a recruiting weekend to woo you. And you’re not just any QB; you’re a 5-star one, and your last name is Manning. Yeah, that’s Arch Manning’s situation. Texas is in this QB shakeup—Quinn Ewers dipped for the NFL, and after a season of ups and downs and dashed title hopes, Coach Sark is passing the torch to Arch, who’s been, like, patiently waiting his chance. But this ain’t going to be a smooth ride, because Ohio State’s got this secret weapon that could totally mess with Manning’s first season as QB1.
Ohio State’s defense last year? It was an absolute wrecking crew. Under Jim Knowles, it was a brick wall, leading the nation with a 78.5% stop rate and just, like, consistently dominating opponents. But then Knowles dipped for Penn State, so Ryan Day needed someone heavy-duty to keep the momentum going. Enter Matt Patricia, the Buckeyes’ new defensive coordinator, who’s basically a walking nightmare for other teams. And that’s, like, major trouble for Texas, especially for Arch Manning.
Why, you ask? Well, Ohio State and the Longhorns are kicking off their season against each other on Aug 30. And remember how the Buckeyes brutally shattered Longhorns’ playoff run last year in the Cotton Bowl? Now, with Matt Patricia in the mix, things could get even crazier for Arch Manning, because it’s his first season as a starter. And OSU’s insider, Kirk Barton, is already throwing out warnings, saying, “I think Matt Patricia could put his own spin on it. Especially when you’re dealing with Sark and you’re dealing with a guy that you know Matt Patricia is gonna have a good handle on what he does and he’ll know what he’s gonna want to do, and frankly, like, I would be shocked if we did not heat up Arch Manning.”
Barton keeps going, saying, “Because when a guy’s making his first, you know he’s made starts in the past, you know, when Quinn got hurt and he had to, you know, kind of carry the water for a couple weeks while Quinn was out, but like this is his first major test, you know, he’s playing Ohio State, this will be college game day, big noon kickoff, this will be everything, and Matt Patricia is going to heat him up.” And that’s, like, the last thing Arch Manning and the team need.
So, is this just Kirk Barton talking? Nah, Matt Patricia’s resume is legit. He’s got three Super Bowl rings from leading New England’s defense from 2012 to 2017. Plus, in 2023, he was a senior defensive assistant with the Eagles. He’s bringing a ton of experience to Columbus. Sure, his head coaching gig in Detroit was, like, rocky (13-29-1), but his thing is defense. And that’s what Barton was trying to warn Sark and Arch Manning about. Patricia’s going to turn Ohio State’s defense into a straight-up nightmare factory.
Let’s be real, Texas’ offense last season was struggling even with a solid offensive line, an experienced QB, and talented players. They only averaged 26.5 points per game in 2024 and had a shaky 5-3 record against eight-win Power Four teams. Sark can’t afford that kind of performance again. But it’s not just Matt Patricia they got to worry about; there’s more coming for Arch Manning and the Longhorns. Texas better be ready.
A 240-pound threat for Arch Manning
Pressure’s piling up on Manning and Texas’ future. With Chip Kelly heading to the Las Vegas Raiders, Ryan Day and Ohio State are switching things up with Brian Hartline. Now in his eighth season, Hartline’s the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. And Ryan Day’s super confident in him, saying, “Brian has been successful in every football capacity for which he has been engaged. He has progressed incredibly well from college to NFL receiver, and then from quality control coach to wide receivers coach and now to his roles as a coordinator.”
But Hartline’s not the only thing Buckeye Nation’s buzzing about. They’ve got this new addition, Max Klare, this 6’4”, 240-pound tight end, who’s already a big deal under Hartline. As Ohio State Football at Buckeye Scoop podcast guest Nevada points out, “I mean, Max is a guy that’s you know, we just haven’t seen a weapon like Max Klare. I won’t say not ever at Ohio State, but we certainly have never had a, you know, preseason, you know, first-team All-American tight end, you know, especially one that’s come in via the transfer portal, so, you know, for Ohio State and how they plan to use the tight end is certainly, you know, I think that’s one of the stories of the 2025 season for Brian Hartline.”
Klare had a solid start at Purdue, catching eight passes for 64 yards against Virginia Tech in Week 2 of 2023. But then he got a season-ending ankle injury in Week 6, finishing the year with 22 receptions for 196 yards. He came back in the first game of 2024, with five receptions for 71 yards and his first career touchdown in Purdue’s 49-0 victory over Indiana State.
Klare joined Ohio State’s offense on December 23, 2024, adding a whole new dimension. Nevada emphasizes his potential, saying, “I mean, this is a brand new toy. We’ve had some very capable, you know, tight ends from a blocking perspective.” So, yeah, we’ll just have to wait and see how this Ohio State vs. Texas showdown goes down. After all, Manning is about to face a double-barrel threat: Patricia’s defensive heat and Hartline’s offensive firepower.
The post Pressure Mounts on Arch Manning With Big Matt Patricia Update as Brian Hartline’s 240lb Weapon Set to Test Steve Sarkisian appeared first on EssentiallySports.