The former Ohio State HC Urban Meyer is jumping on the Arch Manning hype train, and honestly, it’s hard not to, especially after watching the final stretch of the season. The three-time national champion head coach believes 2026 is the year everything falls into place for the QB after falling short of Heisman expectations last year.

“A tough day in the city for Arch Manning. Your last name is Manning, and you’re at Texas, and you have to play well. I actually thought he played pretty well down the stretch. I’m a fan of his. If he’s right on schedule, he’s going to have a great year,” Urban Meyer said on his Triple Option Podcast before doubling down.

“Watch, he’ll have a great year this year. Will he have a Peyton Manning-type year? I don’t know that, but they’ve handled it well with Sark down there. I think he’s going to have a hell of a year.”

He even compared the pressure Arch is under to what Tim Tebow faced back in the day, which is high praise coming from the guy who coached Tebow to a Heisman.

Needless to say, last year was a bit of a rollercoaster for Arch. Texas started the season with a tough 14–7 loss to Ohio State football, and the critics were having a field day. Some analysts had already considered him college football’s first bust of the year, and for good reason. Through those first seven games, he was only averaging about 207 passing yards and 1.7 touchdowns.

However, Manning showed serious maturity by blocking out the noise and improving every single week. By the time the Citrus Bowl game rolled against Michigan, he became the first FBS or NFL quarterback in 30 years to record a game with 200+ passing yards, 150+ rushing yards, multiple passing/rushing TDs, zero sacks, and zero turnovers while averaging 15 yards per carry.

He finished his 2025 campaign with 3,163 passing yards and 26 touchdowns, but the most impressive stat was his ball security; he threw only two interceptions and 14 touchdowns over his final six games. Meyer pointed out that this kind of mid-season adjustment is exactly what separates good quarterbacks from elite ones.

Now heading into the 2026 campaign, Texas is going all-in for its first natty since the Vince Young era, and Arch Manning is already at the top of the preseason Heisman Trophy favorites with odds of +600.

The reason people like Urban Meyer are fixated on Arch Manning’s senior year is the surrounding arsenal. Steve Sarkisian has spent a fortune stacking the offense around him. The Longhorns added the No. 1 wide receiver in the transfer portal, Cam Coleman. Plus, they retained former WR1 Ryan Wingo and signed 5-star Jermaine Bishop.

Dez Bryant is already calling Bishop the greatest talent since Vince Young without him even suiting up in a burnt orange jersey. At the end of the day, the Longhorns could realistically have three WR1s if what Dez Bryant says about Bishop is remotely true.

Now, with another year under Coach Steve Sarkisian’s play-calling, fans are predicting Arch to easily clear 3,500 passing yards and maybe even break the school record for touchdowns set by Colt McCoy.

However, all of that wouldn’t be possible if Arch Manning doesn’t heal up.

Arch Manning’s injury update

One of the reasons Arch didn’t play at his finest is because of a minor old injury, which happened back in 2024 in their game against Texas A&M football. Manning played the entire 2025 season through the pain. As soon as he entered the offseason, the medical staff decided that a “preventative” procedure was the best way to ensure he enters his final collegiate season at 100% health.

As Texas kicked off its spring practices on March 9, Manning has been a limited participant, which is exactly what the coaches expected. The good news is that he is officially out of his walking boot and has been spotted on the practice field participating in “routes on air” and 7-on-7 drills.

Steve Sarkisian is keeping him out of full-contact team periods and any drills that require heavy rolling out or scrambling. Sarkisian emphasized that there is absolutely “no rush” to push him for spring football.

The timeline for his return is looking great for Longhorns fans, as Manning’s projected to be fully cleared well before the season opener against Texas State on September 5. Regardless, it’s going to be an exciting season for Arch Manning.