Arch Manning 'definitely got grandpa's genes,' Steve Sarkisian says

When you come from what many consider the NFL’s “first family,” you’re going to have a few unique traits. But for Texas redshirt sophomore quarterback Arch Manning, it’s clear where the Longhorns’ expected starting QB gets much of his game.

During a recent sit-down with ESPN, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian opened up about makes Arch Manning special, and which Manning relative the talented 2023 No. 1 overall recruit most resembles.

While famous uncles Eli and Peyton Manning get more commercials and certainly stake their claim to more Super Bowl rings and eye-popping career passing statistics throughout their illustrious college and NFL careers, it’s clear the youngest Manning scion has much more in common with his 75-year-old grandfather, Archie Manning. And it’s not for the reasons you might think.

“I think there’s something that’s unique about Arch. You can watch him throw and you see when you get up on him in person, man, he’s a bigger guy than maybe people think,” Sarkisian told ESPN. “When you watch him throw, the arm talent and the deep ball is there. Then you watch him move and you’re like, wait, this guy’s a better athlete than I thought. Definitely got grandpa’s gene.

“It’s not the uncles, he got grandpa’s gene. There’s an infectious leadership that he has, that I don’t want to say is unintentional because he intentionally leads. You can feel that. But the unintentional leadership ability he has, players gravitate to him, they want to be around him.”

During his playing days, Archie Manning was known as much for his legs as his arm, especially in college, where the Ole Miss legend held the SEC single-game record for total offense (540 yards against Alabama in 1969) for more than four decades, until former Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel broke it with 576 total yards against Louisiana Tech in 2012.

The youngest Manning has also shown an affinity for making plays with his legs, rushing for four touchdowns on 25 carries in a change-of-pace role last season while backing up two-year starter Quinn Ewers. And while Arch Manning and his powerful right arm will undoubtedly be unleashed a little more as the Longhorns’ QB1 in 2025, the ability to pull the ball down and run for a hard-fought first down isn’t going anywhere.

And it’s that mentality that has helped the ballyhooed former No. 1 overall recruit establish himself as Texas’ starting quarterback during his third offseason in Austin.

“They like him for who he is, not for the name on the back of his jersey. And I think that’s something that he provides. He’s a fiery guy. He enjoys playing the game,” Sarkisian continued. “Even in practice he’ll make a throw, and he’ll look over at me and wink at me almost like, ‘Did you like that?’ And so we have really good rapport, but I understand now because of my rapport with him, why the players have really good rapport with him. He just has a natural ability to engage with people.”