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Arch Manning’s debut season as Texas’ starting quarterback has been a wild ride, and no one feels the tension quite like his grandparents.
The nation’s most-watched QB entered 2025 with unprecedented attention, stumbling early before finding his rhythm as the Longhorns climbed to 7-2 and a No. 11 spot in the initial College Football Playoff rankings. Despite the rocky start, Texas still has a legitimate shot at their preseason championship aspirations.
You’d think having raised two NFL legends would prepare Archie and Olivia Manning for the emotional toll of Saturday football. Think again.
“I think I’m more nervous for my grandson than I ever was for my boys,” Olivia admitted to Kay Adams. “Or my husband [laughs].”
Archie, himself a former NFL quarterback – can’t explain the heightened anxiety either.
“I don’t know why – it should really be no different to me,” he explained. “I dealt with it when the boys played. I was a little superstitious at times… I hadn’t been doin’ that with Arch, I hadn’t been to but one game, so I’ve been home. But it’s hard. It’s really hard. We pull for him so hard and they’ve had some protection problems this year and struggled in a few games, but we’re proud of him and he’s handled everything really well.”
The nerves are likely easing up lately.
Manning has thrown for 300+ yards in consecutive games for the first time in his career — a promising sign that coach Steve Sarkisian is finally tailoring the offense to his young signal-caller’s strengths. The playbook adjustments have created better opportunities for Arch to showcase his talents rather than forcing him into uncomfortable situations.
The real test awaits.
Following their bye week, the Longhorns face a brutal closing stretch against No. 5 Georgia on the road before hosting rival No. 3 Texas A&M. If Manning can navigate these challenges successfully, fans will quickly forget his early-season struggles. More importantly, those statement wins would thrust Texas firmly back into the national championship conversation.
His grandparents – just like the rest of Longhorn Nation – are bracing for what promises to be an emotional rollercoaster ride down the stretch. They’re hoping their grandson can deliver the storybook ending Texas fans have been dreaming about since his commitment.
