ESPN analyst gives harsh but fair assessment of Arch Manning’s lackluster performance in season-opening loss
After the game was over, lots of armchair quarterbacks were giving analysis on Arch Manning. The former five-star, “generational talent” was torched by just about everyone – saying he wasn’t ready…he’s overrated…no way he’s really as good as everyone thinks he is.It was one game. And Ohio State had a hell of a plan. The […]
After the game was over, lots of armchair quarterbacks were giving analysis on Arch Manning. The former five-star, “generational talent” was torched by just about everyone – saying he wasn’t ready…he’s overrated…no way he’s really as good as everyone thinks he is.
It was one game. And Ohio State had a hell of a plan. The first-year starter was flustered, confused, blitzed literally and figuratively Saturday and it showed. He was missing easy, in rhythm throws he normally is spot on with. And the Texas Longhorns started the year 0-1. ESPN’s Ryan Clark didn’t hold back when giving his analysis. But it wasn’t all bad. Just the harsh truth some people don’t like to hear.
“Arch Manning is not a generational talent. People placed expectations upon him without any evidence,” said the former longtime NFL defensive back and fellow Louisiana native.
Ryan Clark, albeit a bit tough, is fair and rational in his assessment.
“He’s not Trevor Lawrence or Caleb Williams, who beat out returning starters as freshman. Instead, Arch sat being a seventh-round pick for two years. He’s a good player who will be very good, but let him [go] earn it,” Clark said. “Arch [Manning] has never faced top level competition. He didn’t play high level ball in Louisiana, nor did he compete in the high school QB circuit. So, it’ll take time, & that’s ok.”
First off, he’s not wrong. Manning was humbled Saturday. I was humbled. Last week, I predicted Texas would win because of his (limited) experience versus Julian Sayin’s first start. Ohio State lost eight starters on defense to the NFL and had a new defensive coordinator. Matt Patricia had a great plan and the players executed.
But it’s not all bad and the sun came up on Sunday. And Manning gets to play again this weekend to get the bad taste out of his mouth.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian sat down with Arch Manning after the game and worked through some things.
“He and I sat together and we went through some things, we kind of shifted his focus on how to recognize the coverages,” Sarkisian said in the immediate aftermath of the loss to Ohio State.
“I felt like we had some tells a different way, where he was struggling to kind of see some things early, and I thought he took that information and applied it in the second half. That’s encouraging, that he was able to adjust at halftime to do those things.”
The best thing for Manning is the three-game runway he has coming up. Texas will play the Spartans Saturday morning. Then, he will have a crack at UTEP and Sam Houston. Then, if he handles business, the hype machine cranks back up when Texas hits the road to take on the Florida Gators October 4.
Maybe we have a Groundhog Day scenario. Or maybe, just maybe, we see some generational progressions.