Steve Sarkisian says Arch Manning logged 20 MPH on rushing touchdown

Texas held its first preseason scrimmage this week, and with all eyes on Quinn Ewers heading into the season — Arch Manning has been quietly putting in work all offseason.

It has seemed to pay off, too. We know what he can do with his arm, but now it seems as though the legacy quarterback has added another layer to his already versatile game. According to head coach Steve Sarkisian, via Texas reporter CJ Vogel, Manning was able to scramble and convert on third down on more than one occasion.

The freshman phenom took one of the scrambles all the way into the end zone, a play which Sarkisian says his freshman QB clocked 20 miles per hour on the gun.

Who’d have thought that a Manning was capable of that type of speed after all?

Manning, of course, is the crowning jewel in Texas’ incoming recruiting class. He’s expected to lead the Longhorns into the SEC after this season as the program’s centerpiece for at least the next two years after the conference realignment.

Texas’ 2023 recruiting class ranked No. 3 in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking, and includes nine of the top 100 players in the country. Manning — a Five Star Plus+ recruit, meaning he’s one of the only players ranked by all four major recruiting media companies as a five star — leads the way. He came in as the No. 1 player in the country, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Though, this season is what will really set the tone for the Longhorns. One last season in their longtime conference to prove their worth and why they deserve to play in the Southeastern Conference. Manning will be front and center to watch that effort.

If Texas is as advertised, Sarkisian should be able to slot Manning into a couple of low-stake, later game situations to get him some legitimate in-game reps. Those will prove invaluable to his development, as he’ll be taking the reins from Ewers after this season and will be taking every snap from then on out.

Until then, Texas is expected to enjoy success in its final season in the Big 12 with Ewers at the helm. If anything were to happen to him, though, Manning is expected to step up and be ready when his number is called.