Desmond Howard Questions Arch Manning’s Heisman Credibility
Desmond Howard, the Heisman Trophy winner from 1991, has expressed skepticism regarding Arch Manning’s candidacy for the prestigious award this season. He believes that Manning, the Texas quarterback, should not be part of the Heisman discussions—though he seemed hesitant to state it outright.
“The hype surrounding him, along with the Heisman narratives, are just not fair,” Howard remarked during his appearance on the “Rich Eisen Show.” “What’s going on here?” He emphasized, “He doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as that trophy.”
Howard pointed out that nothing on Manning’s tape consistently indicated a level of greatness that would warrant such expectations. “People are reluctant to criticize him, I think, partly because of his last name,” he noted. “Mannings are celebrities in our sport, and folks tend to sugarcoat their performances, making it seem like what they offer is comparable to that of someone like Ohio State’s defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia.”
In his analysis, Howard even criticized his own network for how they covered Manning. “Listen, Matt Patricia knows how to call a game, that’s for sure. But the coverage? It was lacking,” he continued. “They picked just a few plays to showcase, and even then, they seemed to confuse Manning with someone else. I was watching—there were moments where receivers were wide open. Either he didn’t throw to them or something went wrong. It really wasn’t that difficult to figure out.”
Howard also suggested that Texas hadn’t faced enough tough competition, stating that their recent 14-7 loss was both “unfortunate” and “predictable.” Manning’s performance included completing 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, with one touchdown and an interception. Fans have been frustrated as they’ve witnessed the Longhorns struggle.
Manning’s initial three quarters were widely considered disappointing, though he did improve in the fourth quarter. Still, he couldn’t lead the team in a comeback. An NFL scout described the game as “difficult to watch.”
Looking ahead, Texas won’t face another ranked opponent until October 4th when they play No. 13 Florida. Before that, they’ll take on San Jose State as a heavy favorite, with a spread of 36.5 points.
