Arch Manning, one of the biggest names in college football, already made waves by announcing a return to Texas for the 2026 season. Could he suit up for the Longhorns again in 2027?
The idea may not be too far-fetched, according to Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. While Sarkisian recently admitted he hadn’t spoken to Manning about playing at Texas in 2027, the head coach said he “wouldn’t be surprised” by a return from the quarterback.
“I think Arch really loves college football. I think he loves the University of Texas. He does pretty good through NIL. He’s got some pretty good endorsements going right now, which is a credit to him and obviously the lineage of the last name and the brand of the University of Texas. All those things coming together,” Sarkisian said on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams. “On the same token, I won’t be surprised if he declares and decides to go to the [NFL] draft. Some of that is dependent upon how we play as a team this fall. How he plays individually.”
Sarkisian lauded Manning’s growth throughout the last year, saying the quarterback received praise from his NFL-bound teammates in the offseason.
“I always thought it was interesting, a lot of the NFL teams, when they’re interviewing our players and getting ready for the draft, they’ll ask, ‘Who’s the toughest guy on the team?’ Those guys were all saying Arch Manning,” Sarkisian said. “To me, what we learned about him and what he learned about himself is how mentally and physically tough he is. And then his ability to lead through that toughness to gain the respect of his teammates.”