Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is expected to be the starting quarterback against No. 7 Ole Miss on Saturday night. But if things go poorly, he might not finish the game.
According to a new report, Manning took “significantly less” first-team reps than usual in practice this week, while backup KJ Lacey Jr. saw a big increase in work. And while head coach Steve Sarkisian reportedly doesn’t want to make a change, he has started preparing for the possibility.
Manning’s Struggles
Manning entered the season as a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite and the early favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2027 NFL Draft. But Texas has dropped two straight games, both by a score of 27-24, and Manning committed a costly late turnover in each of them.
Through six games, Manning has completed 63.9% of his passes for 1,295 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions. The Longhorns are 4-2, 1-2 in SEC play, and ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll.
After the loss to Florida, Sarkisian said that “everything is going to be evaluated,” and Texas reportedly decided to give Lacey more first-team reps this week. Josh Pate went as far as to say that Manning is “on thin ice.”
Sarkisian has also stood by his quarterback, describing Manning as “edgy” heading into Saturday.
“He’s edgy right now. And honestly, I appreciate that about him. At some point, he’s gotta fight back,” Sarkisian said, via Tyler Horka of Inside Texas.
‘Started To Prepare’
Now, ESPN’s Pete Thamel says that the reps shifted even more than expected this week.
“Arch Manning took significantly less first-team reps with Texas’ first-team offense this week than he usually does,” Thamel said on ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday morning, via On3. “Let’s be clear, Steve Sarkisian does not want to replace Arch Manning as his starter. But he has started to prepare to do that if Arch Manning struggles. Backup KJ Lacey Jr. had a precipitous uptick in first-team reps.”
Lacey is in his second season with the Longhorns and has seen very little action. He attempted just one pass last season, and he has completed 7 of 8 passes for 63 yards this year, according to On3.
Saturday’s matchup with Ole Miss kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. With two losses already, Texas likely needs a win to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive.
Needless to say, it’s a big night for Manning, and Texas appears ready to move on quickly if he doesn’t deliver.
The post Texas has reportedly ‘started to prepare’ for benching Arch Manning appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.