Colt McCoy praises Arch Manning: ‘The real deal!’

Once Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian hinted at the idea that backup quarterback Arch Manning could see the field in the program’s season opener, fans were intrigued to see if the redshirt freshman would begin to play a larger role on the team this year.

That question was answered Saturday when Manning got his first chance to shine this season against Colorado State, and he didn’t disappoint. He entered the game with two minutes left in the third quarter and threw his first touchdown pass of his college career to transfer wide receiver Silas Bolden after running out of the pocket before finding the end zone for the second time in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard rushing touchdown to cap Texas’ 52-0 victory.

Manning’s performance not only captured the attention of everyone at Darrell K. Royal Stadium that day, but also that of Texas Longhorns legend and recently retired Colt McCoy.

McCoy spoke with Urban Meyer on “The Triple Option” podcast on Wednesday and discussed how Manning has progressed since arriving in Texas.

“I think Arch Manning is a real player,” McCoy said. “I’ve spent some time with him, obviously he’s got the last name, the pedigree, all those things, but the kid works very, very hard, he’s very smart and I think it’s a credit to him to stay, stay on the bench and earn his time to be the starter in Texas.”

Last year, Manning arrived as a true freshman after being drafted by Texas in 2022 as the No. 1 recruit in the country, according to On3. He only saw action in two games during the regular season, one against Texas Tech and the other during the Big 12 Championship game when he took the final snap as the Longhorns consolidated a 49-21 win against Oklahoma State.

Manning will now carry a redshirt senior into his second year with the Longhorns. McCoy said Manning’s decision to stay redshirted and be patient with starting quarterback Quinn Ewers reminded him of his own journey through college football.

“The redshirt year I spent behind Vince, first of all, I wasn’t as highly regarded as Arch, nobody knew who I was, but the redshirt year was the best thing that ever happened to me,” McCoy said. “I was able to really learn the system. I spent a lot of time in the gym. I played a ton of sports in high school, so I really wasn’t ready for a full year of college football.”

When McCoy joined Texas in 2005, he sat out his freshman year and didn’t play a single game on a team that eventually won the BCS National Championship. At the time, former Texas quarterback Vince Young took the reins, but his decision to forgo his senior year and enter the NFL in 2006 opened the door for McCoy and rookie Jevan Snead to compete for the starting job. McCoy ultimately beat out Snead and led the Longhorns to a 10-3 season in his debut year as a starter.

Ewers will most likely become a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft next spring, as he opted out of the draft last April to return to Texas for what is expected to be his final appearance. That said, Sarkisian will look to give Manning a chance to have the ball in his hands to prepare for Ewers’ departure.