The Texas Longhorns entered the season with national championship aspirations, but are suddenly scrambling for answers after back-to-back losses to the unranked Oklahoma Sooners and Florida Gators. The struggles of starting quarterback Arch Manning have been glaring, and head coach Steve Sarkisian is reportedly considering making a change.
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Texas is expected to give backup quarterback KJ Lacey Jr. more reps with the first-team offense in practice this week. He reported that Manning "still projects as the Texas starter," but it is to prepare Lacey if Manning continues to struggle and they need to make a change.
Manning is in his second year as Texas' starting quarterback, but has not taken the step many expected.
In six games, he has completed 63.9% of his passes for 1,295 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also has 102 yards rushing on 49 carries.
Lacey is in his second year with the Longhorns after signing with them as a four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. He has appeared in three games, completing eight of his nine passes for 70 yards and rushing twice for three yards.
It won't get any easier for Texas (4-2) this weekend, as the Ole Miss Rebels (5-1) come to town for a primetime showdown. The game is set to start at 6:30 p.m. CT and will air on ABC.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Texas Longhorns considering QB change after Arch Manning's struggles
