Steve Sarkisian: Arch Manning serving as backup QB has been 'pretty simple for him'

DALLAS – After Steve Sarkisian finished his opening remarks at SEC media days – which included a shout-out to his former boss and mentor Nick Saban sitting in the back of the room and declaring that this year's Longhorns team is "probably the most talented team we've had in my four years here, I can unequivocally say that" – the Texas coach took questions.

The first one was about Arch Manning. 

There aren't a lot of teams out there where backups get this much attention. But then again, there aren't a lot of teams out there that have backups with famous last names.

Sarkisian was asked what the conversation was like with Manning and his family when reality sunk in that the former five-star quarterback would have to sit on the bench for a second straight year. When starter Quinn Ewers decided to put off the NFL Draft a little bit longer and return to Texas for a third season, that became Manning's reality.

But it wasn't as big of a deal as many might think.

"We've been fortunate to coach some pretty good quarterbacks," Sarkisian said Wednesday. "We've been fortunate to do it for some decades now. We've been fortunate to have some really good quarterback rooms. And I think the Manning family is pretty well aware of that.

"I think they trained Arch to try to put himself in the best position to try to play in the best conference in America and then, ultimately, put himself in the best position to further his career playing in the National Football League. I think Arch's development has been important to the family and he's reaping the benefit of those things. It hasn't been very difficult at all. I think it's been pretty simple for him."

Ever since Manning committed to the Longhorns in June 2022, he's been the most popular Texas storyline. When he got reps in his first spring game in April 2023, thousands of fans at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium rose to their feet and immediately started cheering. An early enrollee, Manning hadn't even taken a snap yet and the fan base was already ready to anoint him their next big-time gunslinger.

Funny how the prospect of having a guy like Manning on the roster can cause people to forget that there's already a talented, former No. 1 overall recruit ahead of him on the depth chart. Ewers started last season as a projected Heisman Trophy contender and top 2024 NFL Draft pick. He didn't quite live up to those expectations and dealt with an injury, but he did end up finishing the year with 3,479 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He led Texas to its first ever appearance in the College Football Playoff against Washington, and was a last-second completed pass away from going to the national championship. 

Ewers enters this season as a Heisman hopeful again, and Sarkisian gushed about how he's "exuding confidence" and is the team's undisputed leader, which is crucial for the program as it begins new life in the SEC.

As for Manning, the second-year quarterback appeared in two games last season, making his debut in a win over Texas Tech and then taking the final snaps in the Big 12 championship win over Oklahoma State. Sure, Texas had locked down victories in both games before Manning entered, but when he did, fans once again went wild for him. He later made headlines in the spring game when he completed his first 10 passes and then again last week, when he opted into EA Sports' "College Football 25," reversing course from opting out of the video game in March.

When Manning spoke with reporters at Sugar Bowl media day in December, he attracted far more attention than Ewers, who was sitting just a few feet away. It was an awkward setup – Ewers was sitting atop a podium, ready to talk about the biggest game of his life. But only a few reporters at a time came up to talk to him. Meanwhile, Manning, who was not going to be playing in the game, was hanging out on a bleacher nearby. He ended up holding court with cameras and recorders in his face for 45 minutes.

Ewers, 21, and Manning, 19, are close friends and are roommates on the road. While it would be easy to understand if there were jealousy or animosity between the two, that simply does not exist. Manning likes to pick Ewers' brain and asks the veteran QB to quiz him on plays. Ewers recently went to his second Manning Passing Academy, and said Wednesday that he got tips from Arch's uncles, Peyton and Eli, about how to handle adversity and success.

Last year was Manning's first time ever being a backup, so he didn't have experience to lean on. He's since moved up to No. 2 on the depth chart after Maalik Murphy transferred to Duke, and Sarkisian has said that Manning will get more meaningful playing time this fall.

Before the Sugar Bowl, he was honest about what it's like not to play.

"I mean, it's never fun being a backup and sitting," Manning said then. "But each person's journey is different, and I'm gonna work hard and not blink an eye, and help Quinn be the best quarterback and try to get better along the way."

In this transfer portal and NIL era, that wouldn't fly with many former five-star players who want to get on the field immediately. Despite rumors, Manning said in December that, "I haven't looked into transferring at all." He could have gone anywhere, but he specifically wanted to play for and be developed by Sarkisian. 

"I think Sark's record with quarterbacks – what he did at Alabama – I just saw trust in him and I thought [Texas] was the right fit for me," Manning said. "I thought I fit into the offense. I liked how Sark ran his team and I thought Texas was on an upward slope.

"Sark is one of the realist guys I know. He keeps it 100 with you and expects a lot out of you. And that's good. That's what I want. It's been fun learning under him."

And he'll continue to do so.

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.