New Arch Manning Rumors Reveal What It Would Take for Texas to Bench QB amid Struggles

Despite his recent struggles, University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning is reportedly not considered to be in imminent danger of getting benched.

Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods.com reported what sources told him about the situation, writing, "I was told that it would take a 's---ty performance' against Ole Miss for Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian to bench Manning. Sarkisian and his staff are trying to get everything they can out of Manning, and I do not sense that he is on a short leash heading into this weekend. However, my only disclaimer is that you never know what decision a coach might make in the heat of the moment, especially if frustration starts to set in."

Arch Manning's tenure with Texas may be nearing end

For his part, Manning spoke to reporters on Monday, making it clear he's determined to turn things around:

Since a 4-0 start that included wins over then-No. 1 Ohio State and then-No. 14 Tennessee, the Longhorns have dropped back-to-back games, falling 27-24 to both Oklahoma and Florida.

Manning was nowhere near his best in either of those losses, going 19-of-31 for 260 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions against Oklahoma, and 14-of-20 for 173 yards with one touchdown and no picks against Florida.

The nephew of legendary NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, Arch was expected to do big things during the 2026 campaign.

Last season marked his first as the starter at Texas, and although he had his ups and downs, he finished the year with 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions through the air, plus an additional 10 rushing touchdowns.

The 2026 season represented an opportunity for Manning to cement himself as the best quarterback in the 2027 NFL draft class and the potential No. 1 overall pick.

He hasn't done that thus far, though, as his numbers are somewhat pedestrian to the tune of 1,295 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions to go along with no rushing touchdowns.

The Longhorns have a highly touted quarterback behind Manning on the depth chart in sophomore Karle Lacey Jr., who was a 4-star recruit in the class of 2025, per 247Sports .

Lacey has played sparingly, attempting just one pass last season, and going 7-of-8 for 63 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions this season.

Per Richardson, Sarkisian would prefer for an inexperienced quarterback like Lacey to not have to play against No. 7 Ole Miss on Saturday night, writing, "From what I gathered, throwing Lacey into the fire this weekend is not Sarkisian's ideal scenario."

While Texas has the benefit of playing at home on Saturday, Ole Miss presents a massive challenge, as the Rebels are 5-1 and battle tested, as they reached the College Football Playoff semifinals last season.

Texas is still ranked No. 19 in the nation, but at 4-2, it may not be able to afford another loss as it relates to contending for a CFP berth.

While Ole Miss is seemingly the toughest team left on Texas' schedule, games against ranked opponents in Missouri and LSU are still to come as well.

Manning may still give the Longhorns the best chance to win, and while Richardson's report suggests Sarkisian does not want to make a change, that ultimately lies in the hands of Manning and depends on his performance.