Arch Manning’s struggles at Texas have sparked one uncomfortable question: Is Steve Sarkisian’s offense holding back the quarterback from reaching his full potential? With the Longhorns failing to live up to expectations, the debate is swirling over whether there could have been a better program for Manning, which could have helped him become a better version of himself. After all, talent alone can only take a quarterback so far if the system around him fails to bring out his best, and CBS Sports analyst Ran Carthon has a destination in mind, at least in theory.
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“Well, guess what? In that scenario, Arch Manning to Miami,” Carthon said on CBS Sports on October 19, responding to a hypothetical from Pete Prisco about Manning transferring. Carthon’s answer centered on Miami’s record of developing quarterbacks.
“Miami has shown over the last couple of years that they have been a quote-unquote farm system for these quarterbacks. You had Cam Ward. You had Carson Beck. He revitalized his career last year. We see what Darian Mensah is doing. This offense that they’re running down at the University of Miami allows these guys to mature and actually learn on the job,” he added.
“I had a conversation with Carson Beck about this offense. I had a conversation with Cam Ward about this offense. And it allows them to operate at the line of scrimmage. It puts things on their plate as the quarterback. These are all things that they’re going to be doing at the next level, which all those guys attain.
So if, for whatever reason, he’s looking to transfer, I would be looking for a school that has shown the ability to develop quarterbacks. And right now, the University of Miami would be the top spot.”
After a crazy week in college football, only one blue blood remains with a winning streak: the Miami Hurricanes. When the Hurricanes beat Florida State 43–35, they dethroned Georgia and moved to No. 1 in both the AP Top 25 and the Coaches Poll after 24 years. Their offense is ranked No. 1 in the country right now, and their QB, Darian Mensah, has become a Heisman favorite. So far, he has recorded 1,764 yards with 18 TDs and just 1 interception, which came against FSU.
The beauty of their offense is that Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson lets the offense adapt to the quarterback’s strengths rather than forcing every quarterback into one style. We saw that with Cam Ward and Carson Beck, who both put up big numbers under Dawson.
In 2024, Ward and Dawson’s partnership was known to be one of the most successful QB-coach pairings. Ward led the Miami offense at No. 1 and even recorded 4,313 yards, 39 TDs, and 7 INTs. Even Ward thanked Dawson for letting him reach his full potential and wished he had more time with him.
“Really, if I played all four years with Coach Dawson, I probably would’ve led everything in college,” Ward said on Canes Warning. “That’s how cool he is just with the quarterback position.”
Even in 2025, when Carson Beck was leading the Hurricanes’ offense, he completed 72% of his passes. He finished his season with 3,813 yards and 30 touchdowns. Dawson never expected him to adopt the offensive strategies and playmaking ability made for Ward; rather, he built it around Beck, who was an experienced quarterback with a strong running game.
That is the contrast with Manning’s situation at Texas, where, in the view of analyst Todd McShay, “Arch is not empowered in that offense.”
“Arch is driving someone else’s vehicle,” McShay said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “I can’t sit here and definitively say Arch is never going to be a good NFL quarterback.”
Manning has been struggling as the second-year starter. He is usually seen fumbling under pressure and has already recorded 5 interceptions this season. Manning has had trouble making decisive reads as plays unfold, and his hesitation is notable, as he has been sacked 17 times this season. The Longhorns have now suffered 2 consecutive losses, which has increased the pressure on the QB to prove himself.