Arch Manning got his shot for Texas following an injury to Heisman favorite Quinn Ewers on Saturday. The No. 2 team in the country was leading 21-0 when Ewers left the game with an abdomen strain. That opened the window for the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning to receive his first true shot at the collegiate level.
The redshirt freshman registered a ridiculous state line as Texas routed UTSA, 56-7, to remain undefeated. He finished 9/12 passing for 223 yards and four touchdowns. What riled up social media the most, though, had nothing to do with the darts he was unleashing.
It was about his speed.
Arch Manning showed off his speed with his 67 yard score. Photo via X @TexasLonghorns
Running isn't something thought of much when thinking about the Manning quarterback legacy. From Archie to Peyton and down to Eli, being fleet of foot wasn't one of the many talents they were blessed with. Arch Manning, though, is breaking glass ceilings within the family, and UTSA quickly found that out.
Manning scampered for an unbelievable 67-yard touchdown run. On the play, he juked past defenders and eventually outran a defensive back to take it to the house. According to On3, Manning has a 4.6 40-yard-dash time. By comparison, Patrick Mahomes ran a 4.8 at his combine. Manning isn't going to be mistaken for Lamar Jackson anytime soon, but the fact that he has enough speed to be a factor within a game, along with his arm talent, is precisely why NFL scouts have been eyeing him.
"Athletes today are built different," one X user wrote. "He has his father's intellect paired with the athletic ability of Mahomes. That's a SCARY good combo!"
A Manning that can run and pass? Whoever gets this guy in the NFL draft, it's so over for the rest of the league.
— BlockedByKirkHerbstreit.algo (@blockedbyherbie) September 15, 2024
For those wondering, the longest rush of Peyton's NFL career was 33 yards in his fourth season. For Archie and Eli, it was only 27 and 18 yards, respectively. Arch has something on his family that only he can lay claim to.
"I fear he may be the most talented Manning," one user wrote on X. Another X user followed suit, "Eli and Peyton could never."
If Ewers is forced to miss any extended time, more highlight reel runs like this could be frequent. Texas has national championship aspirations and has nearly a month to go before its next big game against No. 15 Oklahoma. The team could take extra precautions with Ewers to ensure he's good to go when it matters.
Either way, Manning will be a thrill to watch on a regular basis whenever his time comes.
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