Eli Manning: Will Arch Manning Transfer from Texas?

In the world on NIL and the transfer portal , it is more common for a player to transfer than it is for them to stay at a school that recruited them.

One player defying these odds is Texas Longhorns backup quarterback, Arch Manning. Manning is the grandson of legendary Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning and the nephew of Eli and Peyton.

According to www.on3.com, Manning had an industry ranking of and national position ranking of first overall in the 2023 recruiting class.

This combined with Manning’s lineage and current lack of restrictions around transferring had made Manning part of large speculation that he may transfer from the University of Texas where he spent the 2023 season as third on the depth chart sitting behind Maalik Murphy and starting quarterback Quinn Ewers.

With Murphy transferring to Duke at the conclusion of the 2023 season, Manning moved up to second on the depth chart. However, with Ewers announcing that he was coming back to Austin in 2024, this presumably makes Manning begin the 2024 season on the bench again.

In the age of college football where players are so quick to transfer to their next opportunity, speculation ran ramped as soon as Ewers announced he was returning to Austin. And this was heightened even more so with how highly touted Manning was out of high school.

Most assumed that Manning had the mindset of a typical college freshman soon to be sophomore in that if he were not playing, it was not the right situation and he would move on to seek immediate playing time.

With the transfer portal opening up again and the question top of mind for many, Manning’s uncle and former Ole Miss quarterback, Eli Manning went on CBS Sports Radio in an interview with Zach Gelb, Eli Manning stated“He (Arch Manning) picked Texas…That’s where he wants to be. It is another year for Arch to mature, learn the offense. He has got three more years of eligibility at a great football program on the rise. The fact that you can transfer so easily now does not mean you should do it just because you are not playing right away. A lot of quarterbacks back when I was in college- that was always the plan. You redshirt, you sit a year, you have three years of eligibility. That is what I did at Ole Miss and it helped me...I think he is definitely staying there. He is loving the program, the school and getting better every day.”

Beyond Arch Manning presumably staying based on Eli Manning’s comments at Texas, hopefully this can set a trend for future highly rated recruits in that playing right away is not always what should be the focus, but that growth and development even if it is from the bench should be the main focus.

For Texas and head coach Steve Sarkisian, this is music to their ears that Arch Manning seemingly has the mindset contrary to most highly recruited players his age. And it should prove fruitful for all involved in the future.