Quinn Ewers’ injury opened the door for Arch Manning to step in at Texas.
Manning, from a highly-regarded football family, made an impressive debut. He threw four touchdown passes and ran for a 67-yard touchdown after taking over for Ewers in the second quarter, leading No. 2 Texas to a 56-7 victory over UTSA on Saturday night.
Texas (3-0) was ahead 14-0 when Ewers left with strained abdominal muscles, according to coach Steve Sarkisian. Manning immediately made an impact, throwing a 19-yard touchdown to DeAndre Moore on his first play, and then sprinting for a touchdown on the next drive while being chased by several UTSA (1-2) defenders.
“When the adrenaline kicks in, it helps you run a bit faster,” Manning said.
He connected with Isaiah Bond for a 51-yard touchdown in the third quarter, making the score 35-7, and followed it with a 75-yard deep pass to Ryan Wingo. Manning completed 9 of 12 passes for 223 yards and left the game early in the fourth quarter after his last touchdown pass to Johntay Cook II.
“It helps when you have great players around you and good coaches,” Manning said.
The highly-rated recruit from a renowned football family demonstrated his potential with precise throws and surprising speed. Manning, who is the son of Cooper Manning, grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, and nephew of Super Bowl-winning QBs Peyton and Eli Manning, has lived up to his hype.
If Ewers remains out for a longer period, Texas has time to develop Manning as the starting quarterback before the tougher games begin.
Texas will face Louisiana-Monroe next week and then start its SEC schedule at home against Mississippi State on September 28. The Longhorns will have a week off before their annual rivalry game with Oklahoma.
