Texas QB Arch Manning’s 2025 season debut vs. Ohio State wasn’t great and it’s important to not overreact
It wasn’t Arch Manning’s day, but don’t panic just yet.
Make no mistake about it, Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning struggled in his debut as the unquestioned starter against the Ohio State Buckeyes. However, that doesn’t tell the entire story
From the jump, Manning looked a little uptight, as did the entire Longhorns team. Going into the Horseshoe at Ohio State is an incredibly difficult place to play and the best quarterbacks often struggle in that rockous environment. Manning had some of that, but it’s important that we don’t overreact.
Don’t overreact to Arch Manning’s struggles vs. Ohio State
When you look at Manning’s box score, it’s not too terrible. 17-30 for 178 yards, a touchdown, and an interception through the air, while rushing for 38 yards on 10 carries. Doesn’t feel too bad, but the context of what happened throughout the game is where the importance lies.
Manning wasn’t great, but he was far from the biggest issue for the Longhorns. Of Manning’s 170 yards passing, he had just 38 in the first three quarters. The reason behind it is three-fold: Manning getting acclimated to being the starter, Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia calling a phenomenal game, and Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian calling a very poor one.
It’s important to note that Manning isn’t void of criticism. He struggled with his ball placement and didn’t do a great job attacking vertically down the field until they were in desperation mode with less than five minutes to go. Once Manning was unleashed, he made a couple of really good throws down the field with poise and accuracy, including this to Jack Endries in the honey hole vs. Cover 2.
You could see flashes of why the majority of analysts are so excited about Manning. He’s got the arm talent, size, strength, and mobility. Not seeing him dominate right away is fine, especially with the other factors that were mentioned above. Plus, it’s the first game of the season, and there is often rust with most teams. What we need to see from Manning moving forward is more consistency, especially with his processing. Improved anticipation and vision with the crossing routes that Sarkisian likes to run needs to be a priority, as it was an issue all game.
It’s fair to be critical of Manning’s poor performance, but pump the brakes on what Manning can and will be. We don’t have nearly enough information to confirm any priors. Manning just finished his third start, and the flashes everyone wanted to see were still there. If you still believe in Manning, you can likely get some value with his Heisman Trophy odds taking a dip after the game.
Whether you think Manning will be a savior for your favorite NFL team, you believe he’s massively overrated, or anywhere in between, don’t overreact to this performance. We will know significantly more about Manning with a couple more starts. It’s not only too early, but too tough to judge him solely against the reigning national champions.
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