Texas Under Pressure to Bench Quinn Ewers for Arch Manning
The college football world is abuzz with the news that Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has been told to play Arch Manning over Quinn Ewers if the team wants to win the national championship. This comes after a disappointing loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship, which ensured Texas missed out on a first-round bye in the expanded College Football Playoff.
Ewers’ inconsistent performance has been a concern all season, and his struggles in the SEC Championship game only added fuel to the fire. Despite throwing for 358 yards and a touchdown, he also had two interceptions and was sacked six times. This lackluster performance has led many to call for Manning to take the reins.
Manning, a five-star recruit in the class of 2023, has been impressive in his limited playing time this season. He has thrown for 939 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions, and has also shown his dual-threat ability with 21 carries for 100 yards and four scores. His athleticism and playmaking ability have many believing he is the key to Texas’ success in the playoff.
NFL quarterback Ben DiNucci and former NFL scout John Middlekauff are just two of the many voices calling for Manning to play. Middlekauff went as far as to say that Texas has “no shot” at winning the national championship with Ewers at quarterback.
The numbers also support the idea that Manning should play. According to PFF, Manning is the highest-graded Longhorn on the Texas offense, with the 12th-highest grade among all FBS players.
With Texas hosting Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff on December 21, the pressure is on Sarkisian to make a change. Will he give in to the calls for Manning to start, or will he stick with Ewers? One thing is certain: the decision will have a huge impact on Texas’ chances of winning the national championship.
