OTF Premium Handling Arch Until Further Notice (Monday AM)

[CJ Vogel]

Opinion on how to use Arch Moving Forward

Through three weeks, I think it is more than fair to say the Texas offense remains a work in progress. The learning curve has yet to narrow and oddly after playing UTEP, I feel like there are more questions and unknowns than after playing Ohio State.

Still, that does not mean the season is over, nor does it mean there can't be redeemable qualities for the Texas offense.

I am certain the offense does not look as bad as it did on Saturday if DeAndre Moore, Emmett Mosley V, Tre Wisner and CJ Baxter were healthy. That is four of your top six playmakers sidelined to injury and it is week three. Additionally, I am sure the play of Arch Manning improves as well with those playmakers on the field.

But until that happens, Texas has to work with what they have on the field – and with what the quarterback is currently giving you as well. 

Which is where I wanted to go with this point. 

I have long said you only need 24 points to win games at Texas over the last two years with the way the defense has been constructed.

••• In fact, since the beginning of 2023, the Longhorns are 25–2 when they score 21 points or more. Contrarily, Texas is 2–4 when they score less than 20 points. •••

Come SEC play on the first weekend of October, Texas is going to be met with SEC level talent on the defensive side of the ball. The issues we have seen offensively will be magnified if they are not cleaned up.

However, I do think there is a remedy in here for the Texas offense. And it includes the usage of Arch Manning.

This is not the gunslinger that was expected. You cannot have ten conseuctive incompletions and expect success in football games in the SEC. But you can have success with Arch's legs.

I mentioned in postgame videos over the weekend that Texas may need to turn Arch Manning into Haynes King. At first it was an off the cuff that I didn't necessarily believe wholeheartedly. But the more I rewatched the Texas game this weekend and more I saw of games elsewhere across the country, the more I found myself buying into the sentiment that Arch Manning may just need to become Haynes King offensively.

King, a junkyard dog of a quarterback, is tremendous with his legs. There is grit in his game and a toughness not often found given his workload in the running game.

On Saturday morning, Georgia Tech and King upset Clemson 24–21 with King eclipsing 100 rush yards on 24 rush attempts. 

Georgia Tech's final possession ended in a 55-yard game-winning field goal where the Jackets traveled 38 yards on 10 plays to get into field goal range. On those ten snaps, five were designed runs for King who racked up 18 yards. It was ugly, but it worked.

On the afternoon, King ended up 20-28 passing for 211 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. Given the struggles and inconsistencies of the Texas offense and Arch Manning specifically, I think we would all take a day like that against a top 25 team.

Now, it is up to Arch to complete the easy passes. The quick curls, the checkdowns, etc.

But our @Rod Babers pointed it out on Sunday, there is a transition to using Arch Manning's legs more than we have ever seen with a Sarkisian-coached quarterback.

Again, 25–2 are the Texas Longhorns when scoring 21 points or more dating back to 2023. 

Texas can get to 21 points in SEC play with the legs of Arch Manning and Sarkisian opting to take the points when presented in the red area. 

Who knows, maybe there is some confidence that returns to Manning's game with his arm if this approach is taken. As a result, maybe something clicks with his arm and the passing game returns to what was expected in the preseason. If that is the case, that is tremendous. But I can not sit here and type to you that that is going to happen.

Texas is running out of time to experiment ahead of SEC play. But you know the legs of Manning are a weapon and the kid is a tough cookie.

Swallow your pride, Sark. Until further notice, it is time to crown Arch the next Haynes King.

[CJ Vogel]

I understand this won't be a popular take, but I do believe this would be successful in the Texas offense.

After all, Arch is your leading rusher and leading TD scorer on the ground.

[HookedOnTF]

This is fine, but when (not if) your running QB is injured, then what? Another redesign? Shouldn't QB2, or 2A and 2B depending on how you read the room, be able to run similar game plans to the starter?!  Is QB4 that guy but not ready?!

[CJ Vogel]

Just now, HookedOnTF said:

This is fine, but when (not if) your running QB is injured, then what? Another redesign? Shouldn't QB2, or 2A and 2B depending on how you read the room, be able to run similar game plans to the starter?!  Is QB4 that guy but not ready?!

Given how QB1 has played, I am not sure the drop off to QB2 would be as significant as we would have expected entering the season.

Arch is tough, he enjoys running the football. Utilize his legs.

[Red Five]

2 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

Given how QB1 has played, I am not sure the drop off to QB2 would be as significant as we would have expected entering the season.

I'm not sure what a significant dropoff would look like at this point. Handing the ball to the other team? 

It hasn't been talked about a lot, but UTEP dropped some easy INTs. That could have gone down as the worst performance ever by a Texas QB. 

[Uthookem4800]

@CJ Vogel can you ask Sark in his press conference is arch getting any help sports physicologist or does he have the hips?

[Texas fan in Georgia]

Arch using his legs definitely gets him in a groove and gives him confidence. Use his legs to open up his arm 

[TTown]

The problem is Sark won't. And Arch will not survive in the SEC being a running QB that you wrote about. period. Remember the hit he took last year vs Georgia and other games. He is what he is for now just gotta hope the running game gets better. Even then one cannot expect this defense to do every week what has to be done on the field forever.

Take field goals and hope for the best. Got 8-4 7-5 written all over this team. Another year before the year always. Hope I am wrong but eyes don't lie. Sark will never  take  him out  either whether warranted or not. We were all bamboozled it seems.

[dentonhorn]

11 minutes ago, Texas fan in Georgia said:

Arch using his legs definitely gets him in a groove and gives him confidence. Use his legs to open up his arm 

Confidence is the issue since everything is fine in practice. You start getting some praise and the crowd roars after a good run, confidence overall builds. Haynes is a bit better runner but not by a ton. Arch has a much stronger arm. He can be Haynes on steroids given some success. 

[HookemChappy]

Go back to High School for Arch. He never has had much around him and had the pressure of winning it by himself. Newman's record wasn't that great. I fully agree with you CJ. Teams now have it on tape that you can make Texas one-dimensional by putting pressure on Arch. Designed runs early in the game with some very simple one read RPO and run if the pass is not there could force the defense to play more honest. Unfortunately our designed RB run game is limited by our OL. Instead of trying to get up early on the score then go very conservative and let the defense hold. We may need to take 3pts every time we get a chance and build up to that 20point number over the course of 4qtrs. 

Arch also needs help from his receivers. Wingo needs to step up and we need a healthy D-Mo. At this point, I'm not sure I would take reps away from Livingstone when Mosely gets healthy. 

[CJ Vogel]

1 minute ago, TTown said:

The problem is Sark won't. And Arch will not survive in the SEC being a running QB that you wrote about. period. Remember the hit he took last year vs Georgia and other games. He is what he is for now just gotta hope the running game gets better. Even then one cannot expect this defense to do every week what has to be done on the field forever.

Take field goals and hope for the best. Got 8-4 7-5 written all over this team. Another year before the year always. Hope I am wrong but eyes don't lie. Sark will never  take  him out  either whether warranted or not. We were all bamboozled it seems.

FWIW, seven quarterbacks in the SEC had 100 rush attempts a year ago.

Arch sits at 24 att. through three games. On pace for 96 over the 12 game regular season. That feels like the sweet spot. 7–12 rush attempts per game against the OU's, A&M's, UGA's etc. They are going to need each and every yard they can find given what we have seen through three weeks.

[pinkman_90]

I agree but it needs to happen out of the spread …..which I don’t think fits Sark’s current obsession with BIG personnel bully ball.  

[Austalgia]

I think you change the offense a little to include the QB run or more RPOs, but run the offense you got and wait for him to get better.  As I said in another post, I think as a fan base (and surprisingly even some mods) we are forgetting how rough it was for Colt, Vince, and even Peyton in their first seasons as starters.  Give Arch a chance, he has been patient with Texas and shown he works hard.  This isn’t a slacker or someone who has low character, he deserves some time to grow.  He has also shown he can play football, if he just makes the throws we’ve seen him make in the past and some easy throws to played in space, we get exponentially better with what we have on defense and special teams.  Mix in the deep shots, wheel routes, and throws down the seam with the run.  Arch almost plays better it seems when he can just “play ball” as he says it, and is not so scripted. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Austalgia

[Hookem72]

I dont think our O-line is good enough for extensive RPO game….

[CJ Vogel]

8 minutes ago, pinkman_90 said:

I agree but it needs to happen out of the spread …..which I don’t think fits Sark’s current obsession with BIG personnel bully ball.  

What about this 9 OL look? lol

[pinkman_90]

5 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

What about this 9 OL look? lol

Don’t give Sark any ideas please haha

[Atticus]

The Mannings probably don’t want Arch taking all those hits. But their family name is taking some massive hits with the way he’s playing right now. 

[MBHORNSFAN]

What is amazing fans have gone from Arch should be starting over Ewers to Arch should be benched in less than a year...

Edited 1 hour ago by MBHORNSFAN

[CJ Vogel]

Just now, MBHORNSFAN said:

What is amazing we have gone from Arch should be starting over Ewers to Arch should be benched in less than a year...

I don't believe that is what I am pushing here. More, there is an avenue to get more out of Manning than what we are seeing currently. His legs are no doubt a weapon, and until the improvement is seen with the arm, I think it is in Texas' best interest to utilize that part of his game more when SEC play nears.

[MBHORNSFAN]

Just now, CJ Vogel said:

I don't believe that is what I am pushing here. More, there is an avenue to get more out of Manning than what we are seeing currently. His legs are no doubt a weapon, and until the improvement is seen with the arm, I think it is in Texas' best interest to utilize that part of his game more when SEC play nears.

 

I was speaking to you. I was saying as a fanbase... 

[MBHORNSFAN]

2 minutes ago, CJ Vogel said:

I don't believe that is what I am pushing here. More, there is an avenue to get more out of Manning than what we are seeing currently. His legs are no doubt a weapon, and until the improvement is seen with the arm, I think it is in Texas' best interest to utilize that part of his game more when SEC play nears.

 

I agree that Sark should be using the QB run more to set up the pass and open up the running lanes more. Make the defense account for Arch. 

[Thorn007]

Or take a field goal or punt at the 50 on 4th and 3. We have the best defense in the country Yo. Use it yo

[Red Five]

You can't scheme around a QB who can't make simple throws to wide open dudes standing right in front of him. The solution to that is to switch quarterbacks.

[f1revo]

Kid is Jackson Arnold to this point 

[MBHORNSFAN]

22 minutes ago, Red Five said:

You can't scheme around a QB who can't make simple throws to wide open dudes standing right in front of him. The solution to that is to switch quarterbacks.

 

Who do you suggest they play at QB? 

Edited 37 minutes ago by MBHORNSFAN