OTF Premium Going to call a spade a spade

[TexasLonghorns]

40 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

50-50 

I struggle with 50/50 because recruiting is a choice. Sark and his staff evaluated these players, decided they were the right fit, and chose to build their offense around them when they had the entire country to recruit from. If the talent isn’t executing, either the evaluation, development, scheme, or preparation is failing. The players deserve accountability, but the head coach owns all four of those areas. How is that an equal split?

[Carlos Ramirez]

Arch Simms

[Texbam]

6 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

Going to call a spade a spade 

This is a post I didn't want to have to make. I'm a big fan of Arch Manning. Have been since seeing him for the first time in high school. He's a very hard worker. He carries himself the correct way. He cares. He's a very "good guy," just like he says he wants to be. That's what has been drilled into him by his family, and the family is great. I love his sense of humor, and he carries himself really well in a true fishbowl of life he will forever live in. I'm happy he's a Texas Longhorn. His commitment to Texas was and remains massive for the University of Texas. I've said before many times on the YouTube channel he's the first high school athlete that I've seen built up and broken down, as that is normally saved for pro athletes and a select few in college. Being Arch Manning comes with a lot of good to great, and some the exact opposite. He's certainly not going to be treated by the media in a click bait world like the normal athlete. It is what it is, and it's not easy for an 18-22-year-old figuring out life just wanting to be a college "kid" while developing his craft. It was going to be that way for Arch at any blue blood he signed with.

With that said, I feel strongly that 20 starts and five games into the season with the fourth quarter vs. Oklahoma less than 24 hours removed is the time to address what has to happen moving forward for Manning. 

I thought back during the fourth quarter and after the game to the season opener vs. Texas State with 16 seconds remaining in the first half with Texas up 28-7. Texas was coming out of a timeout with the ball on the Texas State 10-yard line. I remember thinking (maybe saying on the Watch With Us) do not force a throw here. Even though the game wasn't in doubt, make the smart or correct quarterback play to end the half. Value points, value momentum, value the football. It all matters later in a season when games are on the line. Every play when a decision has to be made at the QB position is key part of development. Every single one. After an incompletion, Arch forced a throw over the middle into triple coverage that ended in a really bad interception. Did it hurt Texas in terms of winning or losing the game vs an inferior opponent? Of course not. Was it a really bad QB decision? Absolutely. Arch said it after the game and on Monday. I remember saying on the Watch With Us that needs to be the worst pass/decision Arch makes all season. Because anything close to that recurring would likely be a lot more meaningful in SEC play. 

Arch had some bad QB luck vs. Ohio State in the first half. He made two tremendous throws that were dropped - Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo. Two should have been TDs (or eventual TD with Coleman). He had a wonderful QB moment in the fourth quarter rally and victory over a very good Ohio State team. In order to be real, it's also very important to be fair. 

The first drive vs UTSA was solid. He got off to a quality start. There was seemingly progression in decision making vs Ohio State and UTSA. After taking the self inflicted big hit, that game changed. Around a number of errant throws in that game (and before the hit) was the illegal forward pass with 13:56 remaining in the third quarter. It happens for all quarterbacks, and has throughout the history of the game. 

Fast forward to the Tennessee game. I've never seen two illegal forward passes by the same quarterback in a game. Never. I'm sure it has happened, but my eyes weren't on the TV or in person for a game in history it happened. And I've certainly never seen three in two games, or an illegal forward pass by the same QB in back-to-back games. Again, it's probably happened somewhere in the history of the game, but my 51-year-old eyes have never seen it. 

To do that three times in two games, and back-to-back games, is truly head scratching plays at the QB position. 

Around all that there were plays in each game where Arch was outside the tackle box and ate the ball taking an unneeded sack vs throwing the ball away. Similar to the end of the half vs. Texas State, those decisions don't hurt a team when you are winning, but one should clearly put those away in the memory bank if the decision-making returns in game deciding situations or games. 

Well, the fourth quarter of the Oklahoma game happened less than 24 hours ago. The pick-six pass can't be made, period. Under duress, Arch did a good job keeping the play alive, but what happened next just can't happen at the QB position. At some point in a quarterback's development, one has to register in the moment when the play calls for innate feel, instincts or extremely quick processing to throw the damn ball away. Not taking a sack in a meaningless game and throwing the ball away reps mattered earlier in the season. Sadly, the INT into triple coverage to the end the half vs. Texas State did not remain the worst pass thrown all season. I'm not going to break down the entire why the decision/throw was horrible, because it doesn't even need to be broken down. The ball wasn't valued. The moment wasn't valued. The situation wasn't valued. It wasn't processed in real time by a QB. 

Then there was the second INT. The reaction to the blitz was a forced throw again. It was a tough spot, but Manning had time to throw an uncatchable ball to the Texas coaches standing along the sideline. And this isn't a nitpick, as one can look at many scenarios in which a QB makes the correct throw away under duress with the game on the line. 

So where is Arch Manning at through five games this season, and 20 starts into his college career? In my opinion, he's now at the most important part of his career and development to date. Some really bad quarterback decisions in meaningless games early in the season became major in a rivalry game against a struggling team. A game that was given away by the Texas special teams, offense and quarterback. 

The head scratcher plays have to begin to cease. If we are still talking about them continuing to happen in November, there is a bigger problem that will have to be addressed. The plays in which one is forced to question innate feel and instincts for the position need to be in the rearview mirror, starting Saturday vs. Florida. The growth in game in split second decision making has to happen October 17. Period. 

The reality is Texas is going to score more points, make more explosive plays in the passing game and "look" better on offense the next three games in October. Texas isn't facing Matt Patricia, Jim Knowles and Brent Venables defenses and overall personnel level the next three games. But that doesn't mean Texas has suddenly improved or "found it" offensively. That doesn't mean Arch Manning has figured it out. This isn't about stats. This is about in-game decision making, and seeing the correct growth. 

Time is no longer on Arch Manning's side, and on Texas' side. Growth has to be easily seen. The time is now. I'm rooting for Arch, as I always have been. The fishbowl and pressure of being a Manning following in massive footsteps is real. That will always be acknowledged when I speak about Arch. At the same time, he's in a position in which major and career arc changing growth at the position has to begin today. There is no other option after five games this season. I'm not expecting perfection, as that is not the real world. I am expecting key growth to begin now. It simply has to for Arch, and the Texas Longhorns 2026 season. 

 

Totally agree Gerry.  I’ve noticed on game sideline shots, Arch is predominantly either sitting and talking with teammates or alone (with a blank look in his eyes) while the offense is not on the field.  He occasionally stands on the sidelines watching the field.  My question is, why isn’t someone coaching him on the sidelines?  Am I just not seeing that on camera?  I’ve seen other QBs looking at pics of plays, formations etc. or talking with their position coaches.  Just not seen it with Arch.  The guy obviously needs instruction.

[Holy Cow]

6 hours ago, General Grant said:

I said the same thing to some people 

I agree, but Jalen Hurts isn't Manning Inc.  Can you imagine the blowback?  It's just different, plus Sark is nowhere as ruthless and committed to winning as Saban.  Few coaches are.  They all work in a sliding scale of political calculation.  Just my opinion.  But I agree with the concept.

[Holy Cow]

I know you have to be careful and circumspect in what you say.  And I 100 percent agree with you on how Arch has carried himself.  But if the lightbulb hasn't come on for him in his 4th year in the system and 20 starts history tells you it won't.  Maybe he needs a different coach and a different system.  It's not working at Texas.  Looking at the schedule it's liable to look like he's found it, but I still have no faith once he faces a really good team and defense like Georgia or OSU again rust he will not revert.  It really sucks.

[Holy Cow]

6 hours ago, AJJ_Sports said:

I so feel that.  I had to laugh at that, otherwise it'd be crying. 🤣

[Texbam]

Just realized Manning threw more scoring passes to OU players than Mateer yesterday.

[General Grant]

21 minutes ago, Holy Cow said:

I agree, but Jalen Hurts isn't Manning Inc.  Can you imagine the blowback?  It's just different, plus Sark is nowhere as ruthless and committed to winning as Saban.  Few coaches are.  They all work in a sliding scale of political calculation.  Just my opinion.  But I agree with the concept.

More next season for me.  But if we hit three losses I’d change. 

[Holy Cow]

1 minute ago, General Grant said:

More next season for me.  But if we hit three losses I’d change. 

Agreed

[Holy Cow]

1 hour ago, TexasLonghorns said:

I struggle with 50/50 because recruiting is a choice. Sark and his staff evaluated these players, decided they were the right fit, and chose to build their offense around them when they had the entire country to recruit from. If the talent isn’t executing, either the evaluation, development, scheme, or preparation is failing. The players deserve accountability, but the head coach owns all four of those areas. How is that an equal split?

 

I don't totally disagree, but Sark's play design and play calling as well as blocking scheme and OL weakness also comes into play.  The next QB will develop along the same arc as Ewers and Manning unless Sark takes a long introspective look at him and his coaching.

[CoachBobbyFinstock]

Sarkisian the play caller/OC and not adjusting his system to what works is our greatest problem.