Why Arch Manning’s 2025 season made Texas AD ’emotional’

Arch Manning took over as the starting quarterback for Texas football in 2025. He came in with sky-high expectations, and when he was not perfect, expectations were not met. This year, Manning has more tempered expectations, sitting behind other quarterbacks in power rankings.

The 2025 season saw a lot of growth for Manning, something that Texas AD Chris Del Conte noted, per Inside Texas.

“To see what that young man went through last season, it makes me emotional,” Del Conte said of Manning. “Called a complete flop by virtually everyone in the national media. 99% of kids would’ve crumbled. But he never quit, never stopped fighting.”

Manning was up and down in his first five games. He threw five interceptions in his first five games, while being sacked nine times. Meanwhile, Texas lost two of its first five games. He then threw just two interceptions, while throwing 15 touchdowns and running in another five touchdowns in his final eight games. Michigan lost just one game, a loss to Georgia, in the final eight games of the season. This fact is something noted by Stephen A. Smith of ESPN.

“I will say this. The Arch Manning that we saw, Doggy, Jordan, over the last eight games was entirely different than the dude we saw for the first five. The first five, he struggled. He was pressing a little bit too much. Obviously throwing interceptions; I think it was averaging like 230 passing yards a game,” Smith said. “That wasn’t really doing anything to really really knock your socks off, but the last eight games they won seven and one. The man threw just two interceptions and 20 touchdowns. I haven’t forgotten that.”

Arch Manning and Texas look for a run to the playoffs in 2026, and begin that run on September 5 against Texas State.

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