#MeansMoreMailbag: Why Arch Manning chose Texas over the SEC, Mark Stoops' slotting in the coach rankings and Zach Evans expectations

Coaching rankings never fail to solicit the best responses, so in today’s SEC football #MeansMoreMailbag I dive into why I ranked Kentucky’s Mark Stoops where I did, as well as Zach Evans’ potential as RB1 in the SEC and more. But let’s start with seismic announcement from Arch Manning, who committed to Texas on Thursday.

As a reminder, each week I’ll answer your SEC questions. Be sure to fill up the mailbox via a DM or comment on Twitter @JesseReSimonton, email [email protected] or the @On3 Instagram account.  

On to the questions…

Texas was 5-7 last season. They didn’t have anyone drafted and Sark hasn’t proven he can win anything. Why in the world would Arch Manning actually pick the Longhorns over Alabama or Georgia? Even staying home to play for LSU would be a better option. — Jason

I see no lies told, but that doesn’t mean Arch Manning made a mistake committing to Texas on Thursday. I’m on the record noting the multitude of pros for the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class playing for the Longhorns. 

It’s been written ad nauseam that Arch Manning wanted to pave his own path, and with his first-ever tweet, he did just that. 

By committing to Longhorns over Alabama and Georgia, Manning is rubber-stamping Steve Sarkisian’s vision for the program. He gets to write his own legacy in Austin. The 6-4, 220-pound quarterback becomes the face of the running joke that is the “Texas is back” movement — only now there’s the potential legitimacy of someone finally making the statement true. 

Arch Manning instantly becomes a symbol of hope for a sputtering blue-blood program. He doesn’t seem concerned with carrying the added expectation of being a “savior,” either. 

At Texas, he gets to be developed by a guy who — while true hasn’t delivered the best results as head coach — does have a very good track record of late of producing Round 1 NFL quarterbacks. Manning has great relationships with Sark and Longhorns quarterbacks coach AJ Milwee, and notably, seems content to grow into the role of QB1 at Texas sitting behind Quinn Ewers for a season. 

Georgia, Alabama or LSU absolutely would’ve been great options for Arch, but Texas landing the biggest prospect in the modern history of recruiting makes sense, too. 

Looking ahead, Manning willingly hopping into the pressure cooker at UT — and likely playing his pre-draft season in the Longhorns’ first year in the SEC in 2025 — should be super fascinating to watch unfold. 

Mark Stoops is always overhyped when he is the epitome of an average coach. Quite literally the definition of .500. — Nick

Why is Stoops ahead of Kiffin? — James

Mark Stoops ahead of Kiffin? What????? — Troy

Why the love for Mark Stoops? I honestly don’t get it. — First Time Caller

Earlier this week, we released my SEC head coaching rankings, and one slotting was particularly criticized by multiple fan bases in my mentions: Where I ranked Kentucky’s Mark Stoops. 

I had the veteran HC No. 5 in the league, ahead of the likes of Lane Kiffin, Sam Pittman and Josh Heupel. 

Ole Miss and Tennessee fans were especially peeved. 

I’m not sure most folk understand — or appreciate — the turnaround Stoops has engineered in Lexington. Heupel, who hardly walked into an ideal situation in Knoxville, was born on third base at Tennessee compared to what Stoops inherited back in 2013. Kentucky was among the worst jobs in all the Power 5. 

It was absolutely a slow, grinding start (12-34 over his first three seasons), but since 2016, Stoops is 47-29 with six straight bowl appearances and four wins over Louisville (they didn’t play in 2020). He has two of the program’s four 10-win seasons ever — and they started playing football at UK in 1892. He won eight games with a wide receiver at quarterback in 2019. The Wildcats had a negative turnover differential in 2021 and still won double-digit games. That’s coaching.  

Mark Stoops may never win a division championship with the Wildcats. And that’s ok. It’s Kentucky. But hell, he might, as the program continues to out-punch its weight. Stoops has completely elevated the program’s recruiting, player development and overall ceiling. 

I think Lane Kiffin is a darn good coach, too, but do you know how many 10-win seasons he has as a Power 5 coach at Tennessee, USC and Ole Miss? Two, the same as Stoops. 

Am I missing something with Georgia? Why are the Bulldogs considered a championship team after losing so many players to the NFL Draft? — Ben

Georgia did set a record with 15 NFL Draft selections back in April, but the cupboard is still stocked with 4- and 5-star recruits in Athens. 

Kirby Smart has recruited such a juggernaut that in today’s landscape of “free agency,” Georgia opted not to take a single transfer from the portal this offseason. They’re the only team in the SEC who can say that, and it should speak volumes about what Smart believes he has on his team entering 2022. 

Georgia isn’t without question marks (retooled secondary, new faces at ILB) but it will be favored in every regular-season game this fall and should get to Atlanta with a chance to compete for a College Football Playoff berth.  

What are the expectations for Zach Evans at Ole Miss? Could he be the best running back in the SEC this fall? — Taylor 

Absolutely. 

Evans is a ridiculous talent, and if the TCU transfer can manage to stay out of the doghouse (something that was an issue with Gary Patterson), he has the upside to post crazy numbers in Lane Kiffin’s heavy-RPO scheme. 

A former 5-star recruit, Evans produced when he was on the field for the Horned Frogs, averaging 7.04 yards per carry in 2021 and 7.69 yards per rush in 2020. He’s a home run threat every time he touches the ball, and he has the capability to become a factor in the passing game, too — an area he wasn’t really featured at TCU.  

The SEC is loaded with stud tailbacks — Chris Rodriguez at Kentucky, Tank Bigsby at Auburn, Jahmyr Gibbs at Alabama, Devone Achane at Texas A&M and don’t sleep on Georgia’s 1-2 tandem of Kenny McIntosh and Kendall Milton — and any one of them, including Evans, has a chance to make the case of who is the best running back in the league this fall.