Arch Manning's Development Detailed by CFB Insiders Ahead of Texas' Rematch vs. Ohio State

Heading into the biggest game of his college career thus far, Texas quarterback Arch Manning impressed coaches and talent evaluators with how much he has improved since his first matchup with Ohio State last year.

Per The Athletic's Bruce Feldman , Manning's throwing mechanics received particular praise for how much better they have gotten.

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"He's cleaner — and he's way more confident now. There's more talent around him. He was the team's best running threat last year," one person with Texas told Feldman.

A defensive coach explained to Feldman that Manning has "fixed his throwing mechanics."

One person with Ohio State told Feldman they are concerned about Manning's ability with his legs: "His legs will kill you if you let him out."

In the 2025 season opener, Manning led the Longhorns into Columbus against Ohio State. He finished 17-of-30 for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 14-7 loss.

The seven points were the fewest for Texas in any game since November 2021.

Last season marked Manning's first year as the full-time starter for Texas. He did get better as the year went on throwing for 2,012 yards, running for 239 yards, accounting for 20 touchdowns and completing 62.1 percent of his pass attempts over the final eight games.

Manning threw for 1,151 yards, 11 touchdowns, five interceptions, completed 60.0 percent of his passes and ran for 160 yards in his first five starts.

The Longhorns were 3-2 after five games before closing 2025 with seven wins in their final eight games.

With Texas getting the opportunity to host Ohio State this time around, Manning has the chance to show how far he has come in the past 12 months.

The Buckeyes are ranked No. 1 in the AP poll and haven't lost a true road game since October 2024 against Oregon.