Texas quarterback Arch Manning receives seal of approval from pair of Longhorn legends who know what it takes to win big
Everyone thinks they know what Arch Manning is capable of and how it will translate. Well, two Longhorn legends who would know talked about it on a podcast recently – giving out rave reviews prior to the start of the season.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is out of Quinn Ewers shadow. But, an even bigger one still looms.
It's been 20 years since Texas has won a national title. Vince Young and Mack Brown did it together all those years ago – defeating the Southern California Trojans in the Rose Bowl, 41-38.
Those same two legends have now started a podcast and recently discussed college football's most popular player. Both are already impressed with Manning before he even throws a pass in Week 1 versus Ohio State.
"One thing about Arch that I really like that he's a very humble kid," Young said. "First of all, he has won the locker room already. And then he has seen it from Quinn (Ewers)."
Like Manning, Young played behind an older quarterback before taking over as the starter. He learned under Chris Simms before becoming the guy in 2003. He eventually threw for 6,044 yards and 28 touchdowns while also adding 3,127 yards and 27 more scores on the ground.
Young equated his maturity and vision of what it takes from what he saw Simms go through.
"A lot of people don't give Quinn the respect that he deserves," Young said. "I really feel like this man played through pain, through injuries, went through all kind of adversity."
The media bashing him all the time. And when I was there, I saw that same situation with Chris Simms. And I was like, whoa, I don't know if I want to play quarterback at the University of Texas because they was calling him 'Chrissy' and calling him all kind of names, and I really feel like he still played well," Young said. "So I feel like Arch Manning saw that with Quinn, and it actually helped."
Former Texas head coach Mack Brown also chimed in about why he thinks Arch Manning can be special.
"He also seems like he listens. He's very humble. He said, too much has been written about me, no more than I've accomplished," Brown said. "I mean, he is kind of self-deprecating, but I like it. He's a whole lot like Vince at the same age."
Brown was one of the best to do it in the late 90's and early 2000's at Texas. He enjoyed 20 consecutive winning seasons, 18 straight bowl game appearances, 162 consecutive weeks ranked in the AP Poll, and is the only coach to win 100 games at two different programs.
He's coached one Heisman Trophy winner (Ricky Williams), four national player of the year honors, three Maxwell Award winners (Williams, Vince Young, Colt McCoy), two Doak Walker Award winners (Williams, Cedric Benson), two Thorpe Award winners, and one Butkus Award winner.
All to say, Brown knows a winner when he sees one. And he seems to be already sold on Manning leading the Texas Longhorns back to the College Football Playoff.
