Kirby Smart addresses if Arch Manning's presence impacts Georgia's prep for Texas

It’s rare for a team to have one great quarterback. It’s nearly unprecedented for a team to have two. On Monday, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart revealed how Texas‘ combo of Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning affects the Bulldogs’ game plan

“It doesn’t change how we prepare,” Smart said. “They’re not really different style quarterbacks. They’re both really good. I’ll say this. You watch the games that Arch played — he played really well. He did some really good things. Look at his numbers.

“He played and he comes out the first couple plays against Mississippi State ripping it and firing it in his first SEC play and played really good. But, Quinn’s a great player. They got a great quarterback. They got a great situation because they’ve got two guys that really both came in and are playing well.”

Ewers returned on Saturday for Texas’ showdown against Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry after missing two weeks due to an abdominal injury he suffered against UTSA. Ewers was triumphant in his return, guiding Texas to a 31-3 victory while tallying 199 passing yards and a touchdown.

Before suffering his abdominal injury, Ewers was the favorite to win the 2024 Heisman Trophy. While most teams would spiral if they lost such an immense talent, Texas barely missed a step.

When Ewers went down against UTSA, Manning came into the game and threw a 19-yard touchdown pass on his first play. He didn’t stop there, finishing the game with 223 yards and four scores through the air, along with 53 yards and a TD in the ground game.

In his next two starts, Arch Manning completed 41-of-his-60 pass attempts for 583 yards and four touchdowns compared to just two interceptions. If Ewers happens to irritate his previous injury against the Bulldogs on Saturday, Manning will be prepared to take over the offense.

After all, Georgia’s defense is yet to look as elite as years past this season. The Bulldogs’ defense is allowing 312.5 yards of offense per game this season, ranking No. 28 in the country. Facing off against one of the best offenses in the nation this Saturday, Georgia’s defense will have a chance to silence its doubters.

Texas and Georgia will go head-to-head at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. The game will air live on ABC.