Has roller coaster week changed Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning?

Texas quarterback Arch Manning looked different in his postgame press conference after the Longhorns 30-6 win over the UTSA Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. After a long week of highest highs and lowest lows, he looked exhausted and joyless.

Arch Manning was visibly upset after he and the offense struggled against UTSA. With deep, dark circles under his eyes, he answered questions after the game and stuck to one basic message – we have to get better.

Reporter Question: “Arch, how would you describe this week for you and how you kind of handled off-the-field stuff and on-the-field.”

Arch Manning: “Yeah. Ultimately, not good enough. I didn’t play well. Offense, we were a little sloppy. Gotta be better if we want to beat Tennessee.”

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Reporter Question: “Arch, how would you describe this week for you and how you kind of handled off-the-field stuff and on-the-field.”

Arch Manning: “Yeah. Ultimately, not good enough. I didn’t play well. Offense, we were a little sloppy. Gotta be better if we want to beat Tennessee.”

On the surface, that is a good and logical answer after playing one of the worst games of his career. He and the offense certainly need to improve quickly. But Arch’s demeanor was a cross between serious and solemn. He’s had similar responses after losses in the past, but Saturday night he looked drained.

His week started with the absolute euphoria, jumping around on the field at DKR after leading a come-from-behind fourth quarter comeback over the No. 1 team in the nation after being down 20 points. A few days later, he was the center of a controversy that was discussed in all corners of the national media.

Manning didn’t look good Saturday night. If Texas had played a better opponent, UT would have lost. The New Orleans native was 17 of 33 for a paltry 164 yards and two touchdowns. Manning was 51% passing, averaging just five yards a throw. Arch also had 50 yards rushing on nine carries. It was his worst game since last year’s Florida debacle.

His frustration was clear postgame as he responded to every question with a short answer.

“Gotta have a good week in practice.”

“Yeah, it’s not fun. Disappointed in how we played. How I played. Gotta be better.”

“Gotta watch film. Gotta be better. It starts with me. Gotta take what’s there, get completions and go from there.”

“Gotta have a good week in practice.”

“Yeah, it’s not fun. Disappointed in how we played. How I played. Gotta be better.”

“Gotta watch film. Gotta be better. It starts with me. Gotta take what’s there, get completions and go from there.”

It could just be a bad game. Or being the center of a controversy has changed Manning. He will certainly be more guarded in the future. Probably less conversational, less forthcoming in his interactions with the media. Much more business like. Manning may have lost his youthful demeanor for good after a sobering week.

Next week’s game against Tennessee could be season defining for Manning and Texas. The Longhorns first road game and SEC game are at the spot his uncle Peyton became a legend. How Arch handles it will set the course for 2026.