Breaking down how much Arch Manning will play this season for Texas

The success of Texas this upcoming season will largely hinge on quarterback Quinn Ewers as he enters his third year as the team’s starter. But for a second straight season, the presence of highly-touted backup quarterback Arch Manning looms over the offense once again.

“It’s funny, I know it’s Arch Manning, like everybody wants to know about Arch,” Inside Texas‘ Joe Cook said recently at the On3 Roundtable. “But the local media doesn’t ask Steve Sarkisian about him all that much, and I think that’s just because everybody knows that the fortunes of this season rest on Quinn Ewers. Still, it’s Arch Manning, number one overall prospect, a Manning, like he’s a quality quarterback.”

There have been several indications that the conversation surrounding Manning is far more external than internal within the Texas program. But across the board Cook revealed that Sarkisian has a desire to get the entire Longhorns’ team as much playing time as possible this upcoming season. Which includes the team’s prominent backup quarterback.

“Steve Sarkisian when speaking about the entire roster has mentioned he wants to get snaps for a lot of different players, because he expects to have a season that extends into January that maybe is 13, 14, 15 games. That’s his goal, so he’s going to plan on reaching that,” Cook explained. “That expectation with the roster definitely applies to quarterback as well. They’d like to get Arch Manning opportunities in game. So if something happens to Quinn Ewers, Arch is ready.”

Ewers has missed 5.5 games in the last two seasons due to injury, which only increases the importance of Manning being ready to play this year. But outside of playing if Ewers is not available, it will be interesting to track how much playing time Manning earns this upcoming season.

“They want to get him snaps in other games. Aside from the Michigan non-conference game, there’s a lot of manageable early season contests. Colorado State, UTSA, and then Louisiana-Monroe, who may be one of the worst teams in the FBS. So Arch is going to find opportunities to play,” Cook explained.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be in games in question, like if it’s three series for Quinn, then you get Arch one, and then you get Quinn the rest of the game. But Quinn’s the starter, Quinn is the look to leader of this football team, and the fortunes of this season really do rest upon him, Cook said. “And a lot more now that CJ Baxter is out for the year.”

Ewers will be looked upon to uphold the new high standards in Austin as Texas transitions to the SEC, but how much their quarterback of the future plays a part in that transition is left to be seen this fall.