COLUMBUS, Ohio — Steve Sarkisian knew there’d be days like this.
Asked during spring practice about how Texas Longhorns redshirt sophomore quarterback Arch Manning deals with fame, Sarkisian pointed to Manning’s inevitable struggles and the transition that occurs when the move from backup to starter thrusts a quarterback firmly into the spotlight.
“The boos? Because the boos are going to come here pretty soon, too. I love our fans. They love the backup quarterback, but they hate interceptions, so those
are coming,” Sarkisian said with a laugh.
There wasn’t much cause for laughter after Manning’s first game as the starting quarterback for the No. 1-ranked Longhorns, Saturday’s 14-7 loss to the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes. There weren’t any boos from the fans in burnt orange and white, either, although that was simply the result of Saturday’s venue as 107,524 fans packing Ohio Stadium.
There was the interception, a poor decision that led to the second Ohio State touchdown, and another near interception overturned on replay.
In typically succinct fashion, Manning accurately summed up his 17-of-30 performance that included ESPN tracking 37 percent of his throws as off target, the worst single-game mark for a Longhorns quarterback in the last 10 years.
“Ultimately not good enough. Obviously you don’t want to start off the season 0-1. They’re a good team, but I thought we beat ourselves a lot and that starts with me. I’ve got to play better for us to win. Can’t wait until the second half to get things going.” Manning said.
In the first half the Texas quarterback was 5-of-10 passing for 26 yards with a long completion of seven yards as procedural penalties helped stall several drives and Manning simply wasn’t accurate enough, overthrowing or underthrowing a variety of passes.
One of the most egregious misses came late in the game, after the two-minute timeout as Manning attempted to lead an improbable comeback. Facing 3rd and 5 from midfield with 1:38 remaining, Manning threw a crossing route behind Wingo, negating the opportunity not just to pick up the first down, but also to gain significant yardage needing a touchdown to tie the game.
Depending on how Sarkisian teaches accuracy from quarterback to quarterback, Manning’s misfire is either a result of his shortcomings making off-platform deliveries or poor footwork not resetting his feet to put his shoulders on line with the spot to which he’s trying to lead his wide receiver.
Regardless of which explanation is more accurate, the struggles that Manning experienced hitting crossing routes, including the 3rd and 3 in the red zone on the second fruitless trip inside the Ohio State 20-yard line, reflect an area where former quarterback Quinn Ewers had a significant advantage over Manning — while the current Texas starter throws a more accurate deep ball, Ewers possesses elite accuracy on short throws like crossing routes and run-pass options that often went under appreciated by Texas fans.
The Buckeyes also deserve some credit for making Manning uncomfortable.
“I think that they have a very good secondary, and I thought their ability to disguise coverages in the first half was at an elite level. I think that starts with Caleb Downs. He’s very savvy. He’s very smart. They’re able to hold coverages,“ Sarkisian said.
“I thought at halftime, Arch having a chance to really sit and look at the tape and understand some of the coverages they were playing, I think that helped him into the second half.”
If identifying coverages was one aspect of Manning’s slow start, the poor completion percentage was also a result of how well the Ohio State secondary performed after the snap.
One screenshot was indicative of the sticky coverage from the Buckeyes as the Longhorns were unable to create separation.
Of the 170 passing yards for Manning, 130 of them came in the fourth quarter, including his 32-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman wide receiver Parker Livingstone, a 28-yard completion to Wingo up the seam, and a beautiful 30-yard completion to junior tight end Endries that featured touch to layer the ball over the primary defender and the timing to beat the help coming from the safety.
According to Sarkisian, those were the “flashes” and “glimpses” of who Manning will be for the Longhorns as he grows as a starter — and faces lesser competition in less hostile environments.
“I thought Arch’s poise and composure were really good in this game. I didn’t feel like he got rattled. I think I learned about him a little bit that I’ve got to let him go play. That’ll help us, but he’s going to be a really good leader,” Sarkisian said.
And then there’s the reality that the hype around Manning has been running rampant for years.
“The expectations were out of control on the outside, but I’d say let’s finish the book before we judge it — this is one chapter, and we’ve got a long season to go play,” Sarkisian said.
For the Longhorns, that includes three weak non-conference opponents for Manning to gain confidence against before traveling to Gainesville to face the No. 15-ranked Gators on Oct. 4.
“He’s going to watch the tape and say, man, I wish this, I wish that. That’s the life of a competitor,” Sarkisian said. “But I think there’s a lot to hold on to of what the future is going to look like for Arch Manning here. So we’re excited about that.”
