‘Nobody Works Harder’: Arch Manning's leadership ability has impressed Steve Sarkisian
Texas quarterback Arch Manning may be new to the starting quarterback role, but he’s more than comfortable being the leader of his team.
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Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian was in Indianapolis for the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, there to support players like Quinn Ewers, Jaydon Blue, Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, Kelvin Banks, and Cam Williams for the final two days of the combine.
Many of those players filled leadership roles on the 2023 and 2024 Longhorns, with Ewers’ functioning as a major leadership figure for both of the Longhorns teams that made it to the final four of the College Football Playoff.
Manning, who’ll replace Ewers as starting quarterback, has already taken the leadership mantle according to Sarkisian and has done fantastic things early.
“Arch has been terrific,” Sarkisian said on SportsCenter. “He’s been a great teammate. From the day he arrived, he’s been a really quality teammate. You take the name off the back of his jersey, what he stands for, the way he works, the teammate he’s been, and the support he had of Quinn. Now, what he’s doing in our locker room, the leadership he possesses, to go along with the skill set and all the things that he has.”
Manning, alongside Michael Taaffe, has already made his presence known in the locker room, as Inside Texas’ Eric Nahlin detailed on Saturday.
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But in addition to what he has brought off the field, Manning is going to be a key part of Texas’ 2025 efforts on the field.
“He’s big. He’s strong. He’s fast,” Sarkisian said. “He’s got a great arm. He’s a really competitive young man. Nobody works harder than him in the weight room, studying the playbook, and trying to get himself ready to go. The transition feels good. You always get nervous when you lose a three-year starter at quarterback. But I think we’re in really good hands with Arch and what he’s going to bring for our program.”
Many programs can expect a step down in quality of play when a three-year starter departs. Texas, with Manning, is a major exception.
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“I think we’re getting a guy that might be a first-year starter but has the experience of what it’s going to feel like to handle those situations as they come up,” Sarkisian said.
