Steve Sarkisian opens up on Arch Manning's spring game performance, lessons he can learn

After he became the highest-touted recruit from the 2023 cycle, Arch Manning had a rough showing in Texas’ spring game. He completed 5 of 13 passes for just 30 yards in the game after enrolling early and going through spring practice.

It was a tough performance for the former Five Star Plus+ prospect. But Steve Sarkisian had a strong message about Manning during Big 12 Media Days, though, and put his situation into perspective. After all, he gave up his final semester of high school to get to Austin and kickstart his development under Sarkisian’s watchful eye.

That’s why Sarkisian — much like Manning’s Uncle Eli said last month — isn’t buying too much stock in that spring game showing.

“I think we need to understand who he is and where he is,” Sarkisian said on the ESPNU panel. “He’s a true freshman quarterback at the University of Texas. People wanted to make a big deal about the spring game. The guy should’ve been working at a car wash making money for his grad night. But he enrolled in school early. And he had a lot of really good moments throughout spring. The spring game didn’t go the way we all wanted it to go for him. That’s OK. It’s a great learning lesson for him.

“Arch is going to be a great quarterback at the University of Texas. He’s got work ethic, he’s got drive, he’s got talent, he’s got pedigree. He’s an awesome teammate. His guys love him. When his time comes, he’s going to play really good football for us.”

FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt: Arch Manning went to Texas ‘to sit at year’

Manning was the No. 1 recruit in the nation from the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He appears to be the third-string quarterback at Texas this season behind starter Quinn Ewers and backup Maalik Murphy.

In fact, there’s a chance Manning won’t end up playing much this season, according to FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt. That could be by design, though, and Klatt said Manning knew that could happen when he committed to Texas in June 2022.

“Quinn’s probably going to be gone after this year because he can be. … So then it becomes a question of Maalik and Arch,” Klatt said. “Arch went there to sit a year. This notion that he might play this year, I think, is unfounded. At least, those are the conversations I’ve had behind the scenes was that part of why he picked Texas is that he didn’t have to play right away. So I think the conversation about his battle and getting on the field is a year away.”