Paul Finebaum is expressing some criticisms about Texas football.
As the excitement around Arch Manning appears to be fading mid-season, the college football analyst believes there are deeper issues at play, beyond the young quarterback’s performance, which explain why he hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations of being a Heisman Trophy candidate and a potential top pick in the upcoming 2027 NFL Draft.
Finebaum is scrutinizing Texas coach Steve Sarkisian.
“I’m starting to question whether Arch Manning should even be the starter. I mean, I know he’s capable of leading them to victory, but I put the blame on Sarkisian for all of this,” Finebaum mentioned on “The Matt Barrie Show” recently.
“It’s just sad. What has happened with Arch Manning is embarrassing. I can’t help but wonder if he’ll look back and regret choosing to play for Steve Sarkisian,” he continued.
News came out on Monday that Texas plans to give backup quarterback KJ Lacey Jr. increased first-team practice reps this week.
While Manning is expected to start on Saturday against the seventh-ranked Ole Miss, this decision puts his starting position in a bit of a precarious situation.
The Longhorns (4-2) have faced back-to-back losses against unranked SEC teams, Oklahoma and Florida.
In the game against Oklahoma, Manning threw two interceptions, and in the game against the Gators, they were up against a backup quarterback who had already allowed 83 points in the previous two games.
In the last two games, Manning has had a turnover during the final drive for each game.
As a result, Texas has dropped from the No. 1 spot to No. 19 in the AP Poll over the last couple of weeks.
Finebaum asserted that Sarkisian has created “an absolute mess out of the most talented team in the nation.”
Despite Sarkisian’s public support for his second-year starter, he acknowledged that Manning needs to perform better.
“There’s no question: Arch can step up his game for us,” Sarkisian stated on Monday. “He’s our starter, but I’m looking for a better version of Arch Manning.”
In his six games, Manning has amassed 1,295 yards, with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Interestingly, he’s only managed to surpass 300 yards in a single game, which was in Week 1 against Texas State.
If the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning doesn’t manage to find his rhythm soon, his draft prospects could be seriously impacted if he opts to enter the draft in 2027.
