Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning are under immense pressure. Manning was touted to be one of the best players in college football during the offseason. However, he is far from being a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy or become the No. 1 NFL draft pick.
According to ESPN playoff predictor, Texas’ College Football Playoff chances have also dropped to 41% after consecutive losses to Oklahoma and Florida, both of whom were unranked. Another loss will all but guarantee their elimination from the 12-team playoff picture.
With stakes this high, reporter Evan Sidery predicted that Steve Sarkisian might look away from Manning if he fails to deliver against Ole Miss.
“There’s a strong possibility Arch Manning will be benched as the Texas Longhorns’ starting quarterback, if he struggles this weekend against Ole Miss. With pressure ramped up for Texas, Steve Sarkisian could soon pivot away from further developing Manning,” Sidery said.
Manning has had an average season. He has 1,295 passing yards with a completion rate of 63.9%. He has 11 touchdown passes and five interceptions. He has rushed for 102 yards on 49 carries without a single touchdown.
Who can replace Arch Manning?
Texas freshman KJ Lacey Jr. is the favorite to replace Arch Manning if Steve Sarkisian ends up making that decision.
Sarkisian recently praised Lacey amid pressure mounting on Manning.
“KJ’s a good player. I mean, he’s dynamic with the ball in his hands. He’s a natural passer. There’s always things, nuances, when you lack experience in practice. And we put him in some difficult situations. There’s some growing pains that come with that. But he’s coachable. He brings a good attitude every day. He’s got good rapport with his teammates,” Sarkisian said.
Sarkisian also shared that Arch Manning was feeling “edgy” lately. He held the media, fans and even himself accountable for the change in attitude for his star quarterback.
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