Longhorns icon Colt McCoy offers incredible advice for Arch Manning now that he’s stepping in for Quinn Ewers
It’s always hard being the next quarterback to follow a legend. Just ask Colt McCoy. Nobody had a tougher transition into his collegiate career than McCoy, who had to step in and follow Vince Young after Texas won the national championship in 2005. At least McCoy wasn’t coming in cold. He redshirted in 2005 and […]
It’s always hard being the next quarterback to follow a legend. Just ask Colt McCoy.
Nobody had a tougher transition into his collegiate career than McCoy, who had to step in and follow Vince Young after Texas won the national championship in 2005.
At least McCoy wasn’t coming in cold. He redshirted in 2005 and got to watch Young work and learn the offensive system. When McCoy took over the starting role in 2006, he was ready.
Arch Manning is tracking a similar path. Manning watched and learned behind starter Quinn Ewers the last two seasons. Now, Manning will ascend to the starting job in 2025, and McCoy had some words of advice: figure out your edge and go be yourself.
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“You’re Arch, and you’re going into this offseason, how do you attack it? How do you prepare? What do you do?,” McCoy said on a podcast appearance for Underdog Fantasy. “I think there’s so much value in him being in the program over the last two years and getting to see a guy like Quinn Ewers on a day-to-day basis.
“You know, what’s his schedule? What’s he studying on Tuesdays? What’s he looking at on Wednesdays? How’s he taking care of his body? All those things. I think that that those lessons and hours spent in the building will play a big role for Arch as he moves forward to be the starter.
Watch Texas QB Quinn Ewers’ emotional message to Longhorn Nation as he says goodbye and jumps into the NFL Draft
It’s one of those things where it’s not totally official until it’s official. But now, yes, it’s official — Quinn Ewers is going into the NFL Draft. Ewers told ESPN’s Pete Thamel before the Cotton Bowl that he didn’t see himself playing college football in 2025. Most interpreted that to mean he was going pro. […]
“This offseason, this is a time for him to attack, to work on some of the things that he knows he needs to work on some. He played three games. What were some things that I wasn’t good at? What were some things that I was good at? How can I get better? How can I have a great spring leading this football team knowing that we’ve been in the College Football Playoffs twice.
“Quinn Ewers turned this thing around for this program. Played really, really good,” McCoy continued. “For Arch, there’s a great opportunity that he's walking into. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Go out there and be you.”
McCoy said every quarterback must play to their strengths.
“We're all different as quarterbacks. We all have an edge somehow,” McCoy said. “And I think if Arch is smart, he’ll figure out what's my edge.
“I know I can move, I know I'm athletic. I know I throw a great deep ball. I've got to sit back and learn this system for a couple years with Sark. Sit down with (quarterbacks coach AJ) Milwee and Sark and figure out what are the things that I love. These are things that you can call anytime and I’m going to find a completion. What are some things I need to work on, like, what are some mechanical things? What are structures of this offense that I think I can improve on and really dial those in this spring?
When the season finally arrives, the Longhorns will have plenty of playmakers ready to go. It’s Manning’s job to spread the ball around and find those athletes and let them be themselves.
“It’s a great position to be in and just have to continue to attack and kind of have that chip on your shoulder,” McCoy said. “We’ve made it to the final four two years in a row, what are we gonna do to make it past that?”
