“‘Raised Watching Tape with Eli & Peyton’: Steve Sarkisian Puts Full Trust in Arch Manning’s Football IQ as Longhorns Eye 2025 Title Run”
There’s something quietly electric building in Austin, Texas, and it’s more than just the anticipation of another college football season. It’s the slow crescendo of belief, the kind of conviction that can only surround a player whose last name carries the weight of football royalty. Arch Manning, redshirt sophomore and now the anointed leader of the Texas Longhorns, isn’t just stepping into a starting role in 2025 — he’s stepping into a destiny decades in the making. And his head coach, Steve Sarkisian, isn’t shy about it. At SEC Media Days on July 24, 2025, Sarkisian made a simple but resounding statement: “He’s been raised watching tape with Eli and Peyton.”
That quote wasn’t just fluff to entertain the media circus. It was a declaration of trust, a public endorsement of Manning’s football brain, which Sarkisian believes has been carefully honed under the mentorship of two of the NFL’s most cerebral quarterbacks. It’s rare to give any young quarterback autonomy at the line of scrimmage. It’s rarer still when that quarterback has only thrown for 939 yards and nine touchdowns in his college career. But Sarkisian is giving Manning the liberty to read defenses, adjust plays, and lead this offense with a level of command that’s typically reserved for veterans. Why? Because Manning isn’t just any quarterback.
It’s easy to get caught up in the mythos of the Manning name. Arch is the nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning, both of whom won Super Bowls and led iconic NFL franchises for over a decade. His grandfather, Archie Manning, was a star at Ole Miss and spent over a decade in the NFL himself. Arch’s lineage makes him football royalty, but Sarkisian’s belief in him is grounded in more than just pedigree. It’s about preparation. It’s about a childhood spent not just around the game but immersed in its intellectual demands. Most teenagers are watching highlight reels and Instagram clips. Arch Manning was breaking down game film with two of the sharpest quarterback minds in history.
When Sarkisian talks about Manning’s football IQ, it’s not hyperbole. He sees the game differently — more like a seasoned offensive coordinator than a college sophomore. “We give him liberty to adjust plays because he sees the game at an elite level,” Sarkisian told reporters. That’s not just trust. That’s faith in instinct, processing speed, and decision-making that’s been built over years, not months. The modern college game demands that quarterbacks be more than just arm talent. They have to be field generals, reading coverages on the fly, adjusting protections, and manipulating defenses. Sarkisian believes Manning is more than ready.
And that belief will be tested early. Texas opens its 2025 campaign against Ohio State on August 30 — a heavyweight showdown between two College Football Playoff contenders. The Buckeyes return a fearsome defense, one that thrives on confusion and chaos. For most young quarterbacks, it would be a baptism by fire. But for Arch Manning, it’s just another film session come to life. He’s been trained for this moment since before he could drive a car. With two Super Bowl MVPs in his family tree guiding him from an early age, Manning has developed not just the mechanics but the mind for quarterbacking at the highest level.
The hype, of course, is deafening. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) are flooding timelines with anticipation. “Arch is ready to shine!” one post read, echoing a sentiment that’s gaining traction throughout the college football world. But hype is cheap. Performance is what matters. Manning knows that better than anyone. The expectations that come with being a Manning aren’t just about being good — they’re about being generational. But Arch isn’t interested in replicating the careers of Eli or Peyton. He’s carving his own legacy, one read, one audible, one touchdown at a time.
Texas, coming off a 12-2 season and a College Football Playoff berth, is no longer a program hoping to return to relevance. They’re here. They’ve arrived. And now they need a leader who can elevate them from contenders to champions. Sarkisian believes Manning is that leader. His decision to name Arch the starter wasn’t just about skill — it was about identity. The 2025 Longhorns are going to be Manning’s team, with all the responsibility and scrutiny that entails. But the pressure isn’t foreign to him. In fact, it might be the very thing that brings out his best.
One of the most compelling aspects of Manning’s game is his composure. He doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t rush. He processes information in real time with the cool detachment of a seasoned pro. That’s not just inherited — it’s learned through repetition, mentoring, and hours of watching film with Eli and Peyton, dissecting defenses and internalizing the nuances that separate good quarterbacks from great ones. His internal clock, footwork, and anticipation suggest a player who’s playing chess while others are still trying to figure out the board.
Sarkisian, one of college football’s premier offensive minds, has always valued quarterback intelligence. He’s coached Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, and Matt Leinart — all of whom flourished under his guidance. But in Manning, he sees something even more rare: a player with the talent and temperament to transcend the position. “He sees things before they happen,” Sarkisian noted. That vision, paired with the freedom to audible and adjust, gives Texas a multidimensional offense that can pivot on the fly and exploit mismatches in ways few college teams can match.
The offense around Manning is stacked with talent. The Longhorns return a powerful offensive line, a stable of dynamic receivers, and a backfield with depth and versatility. The pieces are in place. All they need is a conductor — someone who can orchestrate, adapt, and take control. Manning is being asked to be more than just a playmaker. He’s being asked to be the brain and the heartbeat of an offense built to win now.
What separates Manning from other young quarterbacks is his ability to handle the intangible aspects of leadership. Teammates don’t just see him as a star recruit or a legacy name — they see him as a teammate who puts in the work, who listens, who leads by example. He’s earned the locker room’s respect not with flash, but with focus. And that may be the most Manning thing of all. Quiet confidence. A relentless work ethic. A deep love for the game passed down through generations.
The 2025 season will be one of defining moments. Ohio State in Week 1. A grueling SEC schedule. The weight of championship expectations. Manning won’t be able to sneak up on anyone. Defensive coordinators will scheme to confuse him, pressure him, and force mistakes. But Sarkisian’s confidence suggests they may be in for a rude awakening. The young quarterback wearing No. 16 isn’t playing checkers — he’s operating with a level of football fluency that makes him nearly unshakable.
Even in practice, coaches have noted Manning’s uncanny ability to predict defensive shifts, recognize coverage disguises, and make adjustments that often mirror what’s drawn up on the sideline. That kind of mental acuity turns a good offense into a surgical one. When the quarterback is essentially an extension of the coaching staff, the playbook expands. And for Texas, that expansion could be the difference between a playoff appearance and a national championship.
The national media is watching. NFL scouts are already salivating. But Manning isn’t getting caught in the noise. Every answer he gives to reporters is measured, humble, and focused on the team. He’s not trying to outshine his famous uncles — he’s trying to win games, lead his teammates, and live up to the trust that Steve Sarkisian has placed in him. That trust is the fuel that powers this team forward. It’s not built on promises — it’s built on preparation.
In many ways, 2025 feels like the year everything changes. For Texas, for the SEC, for Arch Manning. The Longhorns are no longer in a transitional phase. They’re hunting championships. And their leader — cool, calm, cerebral Arch — is ready to guide them there. It won’t be easy. It never is. But with a head coach who believes in his quarterback’s mind as much as his arm, Texas might just be poised to re-enter college football’s most elite circle.
So when Sarkisian says, “He’s been raised watching tape with Eli and Peyton,” it’s not just a nod to the past. It’s a promise for the future. It’s a sign that Texas is placing its hopes, its schemes, and its championship aspirations in the hands of a quarterback who was born into the game, molded by greatness, and now stands ready to write his own chapter in the Manning football saga. And if all goes according to plan, 2025 won’t just be the year Arch Manning started for Texas — it’ll be the year he led them all the way.
