Sarkisian: 'Manning' name leading to outsized criticism of Arch - ESPN

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian defended quarterback Arch Manning on Monday, suggesting the famous name on the back of his jersey is leading to greater scrutiny.

Manning, the grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and nephew of Super Bowl winners Eli and Peyton, threw two costly interceptions in the fourth quarter of the Longhorns' 27-24 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday.

The first one was returned 42 yards for a touchdown by safety Peyton Bowen, which gave the Sooners a 24-17 lead. The second came with 19 seconds left in regulation, setting up Tate Sandell's winning 47-yard field goal on the final play.

«I think if you took the name off the back of his jersey and you said, 'Here's Joe Smith playing quarterback at the University of Texas and here's a guy who's beaten four top-10 ranked teams in his last 13 starts,' we'd be praising the guy,» Sarkisian told reporters in Austin, Texas, on Monday. «But the expectations are high for him, and he understands that. The expectations are high for all of us, so we've got to put our nose back to the grind and get back to work.»

Manning was considered a potential No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL draft and a Heisman Trophy contender before the season. He has completed 63% of his passes for 1,122 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.

It hasn't all been bad for Manning in his second season as a starter. On Sept. 12, he helped the Longhorns erase a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter to knock off then-No. 1 Ohio State 24-23 in Austin.

But Manning didn't make the plays the Longhorns needed to hold off Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry game Saturday. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 260 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

«It's not fun when it's happening but