Steve Sarkisian wanted people to judge Arch Manning without thinking about his surname. Paul Finebaum thinks that argument falls apart when the quarterback’s performance is put under the microscope.
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Sarkisian suggested that a quarterback called Joe Smith would receive more praise for beating four top-10 opponents in his last 13 starts than Manning.
“That is complete hogwash. Steve Sarkisian knows that,” Paul Finebaum said on ESPN. “I mean, that’s one of the most absurd things I’ve ever heard Sarkisian say. I’m a big fan of his and will continue to praise him despite him just whiffing on that.”
Texas entered the Red River Rivalry game against Oklahoma ranked No. 1. It left with a 27-24 defeat, its first loss of the season, after Manning threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter.
One was returned for a touchdown. The other came with Texas trying to move into position for a winning field goal. Oklahoma kicked the decisive 47-yard field goal as time expired.
Manning’s afternoon was not a complete failure. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns. He also led a 75-yard drive that tied the game at 24-24 with 6:32 remaining.
Texas had a chance to win until the final turnover changed the ending. That kind of faulty play, though, is unacceptable for Paul Finebaum from a QB well into his latter years in college football.
“I’m not even sure Arch Manning would be starting at Texas if his name was Joe Smith,” Paul Finebaum said. “He has played that poorly in spots.”
“You break down his tape, and he does very well other than the fact that he blows the game against Oklahoma, and to me, that is unforgivable.”
Sarkisian’s defense came during his Monday press conference. He asked reporters to imagine a quarterback with no famous relatives who had beaten four top-10 teams in his last 13 starts.
That player, he argued, would be praised for the results rather than criticized for every mistake. The coach was trying to separate Manning’s actual record from the attention surrounding his ‘Manning’ name.
Texas brought Manning in with expectations that went well beyond winning a handful of big games. Before he had proved himself as a regular starter, people were already talking about him as a Heisman candidate and a future NFL star.
Sarkisian has asked for patience with his quarterback, but those expectations were there long before the Oklahoma defeat gave critics another reason to question him.
Arch Manning’s first five games have included a mix of promise and frustration. He threw four touchdown passes in the season opener against Texas State, then helped Texas come from behind to beat Ohio State 24-23.
Against UTSA, he completed half his passes for 161 yards. He threw for 201 yards against Tennessee but did not record a touchdown and was intercepted once. Through five games, he has 1,122 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
That kind of inconsistency doesn’t match Texas’ national championship ambitions. Texas survived a late Hail Mary attempt to leave Knoxville with the win, but Arch gave his critics more reason to question him.
Tennessee’s defensive line spent much of the game in Texas’ backfield. The Longhorns struggled to keep pressure off Manning, who took six sacks and finished with negative rushing yards.
Against Oklahoma, the second interception was also Manning’s poor decision- making. With the game tied and 20 seconds left, Manning needed to avoid a costly mistake.
Instead, he tried to force a pass as Oklahoma sent heavy pressure, giving the Sooners the ball in Texas territory. Oklahoma needed only two completions to set up Tate Sandell’s 47-yard field goal at the buzzer.
Despite everything, Texas’ season isn’t yet over, and a single defeat won’t hurt their playoff chances. The Texas QB1 just needs to stop playing hero ball when the team needs a mere checkdown. Yet, he can’t fix everything on his own.
Sarkisian also needs to give him more help with the playcalling. Texas went three straight drives without a first down in the third quarter against Oklahoma, punting each time as the offense struggled to get anything going.
A stronger running game on early downs would take some pressure off Manning and keep the defense from knowing a pass is coming. It would also give Texas a better chance of avoiding the long third downs that have made life difficult for Arch Manning.