Arch Manning isn’t backing down from expectations, and neither is Steve Sarkisian, as CFP semis aren't enough

TAMPA, FL - Taking nan podium to an emptying retired ballroom connected Thursday day astatine SEC Media Days, Steve Sarkisian did not awkward distant from nan CFP expectations surrounding his Texas Longhorns this season.

After an early information of nan summertime was seemingly dedicated to ruffling feathers wrong his ain authorities of Texas, on pinch rubbing connected nan intricate courses of 'basketweaving' astatine Ole Miss, nan attraction yet turned to nan lofty expectations that await nan Longhorns this season.

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This clip past year, nan speech centered astir nan unrealistic preseason hype astir his quarterback

"Arch Manning a twelvemonth agone wasn’t connected societal media aliases tv saying he was going to triumph nan Heisman Trophy, aliases beryllium nan first prime successful nan draft," Steve Sarkisian said astir nan hype past twelvemonth astir Arch. "What he sewage put done would’ve melted 99% of nan group successful his shoes..

"What he sewage put done would’ve ruined 95% of nan group successful his shoes."

Texas Longhorns caput coach Steve Sarkisian walks into Camping World Stadium up of nan Citrus Bowl against nan Michigan Wolverines successful Orlando, Fla., connected Dec. 31, 2025. (aAustin American-Statesman via Getty Images)

Some decided to put him successful nan Heisman Trophy speech earlier he had really taken meaningful snaps for nan Longhorns, while others (hey there) kept nan expectations astatine a reasonable position.

Even Arch was nan 1 who had to punctual reporters past twelvemonth successful Atlanta that he had not accomplished thing astatine Texas worthy capable to person him connected nan changeless preseason awards watch list.

But now, aft a 2nd half progression past play for nan Longhorns, Manning is worthy capable to beryllium branded a Heisman Trophy contender. It besides helps that Steve Sarkisian loaded up successful nan transportation portal pinch talent to situation his backmost connected nan violative broadside of nan ball, led by wide receiver Cam Coleman.

"Manning is simply a batch much confident," Sarkisian said astir Arch. "I deliberation past season, he recovered retired a batch astir himself. Any clip we're look pinch adversity, and we sewage connected nan different broadside of it, you summation confidence. I deliberation that you spot a different leader successful him, successful nan measurement he interacts pinch his teammates.

"He's very comfortable pinch who he is. He's not trying to beryllium thing that he's not."

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If location was ever a clip to put Sarkisian connected a database of coaches who needed to unrecorded up to nan expectations, this would beryllium nan cleanable opportunity.

"The expectations are a batch higher successful our building than they are connected nan outiside," Steve Sarkisian told reporters.

Sure astir that, Sark? Because astir folks are expecting astatine nan very slightest a CFP semifinal quality this season.

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Compared to past year's gathering pinch nan media successful Atlanta, this was evidently a different quarterback, pinch what seems for illustration an impulse to beryllium nan doubters from past play wrong.

"No, there's thing you tin do. Everybody has an sentiment and gets paid to talk successful nan media," Manning mentioned erstwhile asked astir nan 'bust' communicative past season. "I'm trying to power nan controllables. But, it astir apt lights a small occurrence successful me, and proceed to effort and beryllium myself 1 week astatine a time."

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Knowing his background, Arch will do everything successful his powerfulness to beryllium immoderate of those who doubted him wrong. But, he's not doing it for anyone extracurricular of that Texas locker room.

Arch Manning visits pinch reporters astatine SEC Media Days successful Tampa, Florida (Trey Wallace/FOX NEWS)

What we saw connected Thursday was a young man who has grown complete nan past 2 years. Even if that did not meet nan timeline for some, Arch has nan characteristic and intent to make judge he is astatine slightest giving nan Longhorns everything imaginable to compete for a nationalist title this season.

Last year, Manning looked for illustration a backmost who mightiness person nan champion media-prep successful assemblage football, but understood he was going to request clip to create into nan leader, and player, Steve Sarkisian needed him to beryllium successful Austin.

Joking astir his play game, yet breaking 80 past week, mentioning that he has taken nan clip to conscionable bask life during nan off-season, this is simply a subordinate who is not getting bent retired of style complete nan things he cannot control.

"The champion Manning golfer? It's astir apt Peyton, yea," Arch responded pinch a grin astir family play outings.

He's astir surely grown up complete nan past year, that's obvious. But, acknowledging his mistakes and outcomes from nan erstwhile play is different motion of his maturity.

"Yea, I had a fewer games for illustration that past year," Arch said astir nan Florida crippled past season. "

"We do a bully occupation astir not talking astir NIL," Arch mentioned. "I don't cognize really it is astatine different schools, that's large for us. It's astir nan players, and not worrying astir really overmuch personification makes."

No much excuses for Texas, it's erstwhile again time

Right now, Steve Sarkisian tin talk astir nan magnitude of reliable games that await successful nan 2026 season, but nan expectations wrong and extracurricular nan programme are for this Texas squad to compete for a championship.

Now, sometimes nan convention champion is usually a bully parameter of nationalist title hopes. For Steve Sarkisian, getting past Georgia is simply a stepping-stone to taking nan adjacent measurement arsenic a program.

Texas backmost Arch Manning (16) warms up earlier an NCAA assemblage shot crippled Mississippi State successful Starkville, Mississippi, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/James Pugh)

I'm not implying 1 has to triumph nan SEC, aliases Big Ten and immoderate different conference, to triumph nan CFP.

But, Sarkisian understands that reaching nan upland apical intends that you astir apt request to return attraction of nan reigning champion beforehand.

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"If you want to beryllium nan champion, you've sewage to hit nan champion. We've mislaid to Georgia 3 times. Credit to Kirby, they've done a awesome job. If we want to beryllium nan champion, I'm guessing we're astir apt going to person to hit nan champion."

Here we go, Texas.