Arch Manning reveals key to his Texas football improvement: 'More fun.'

TL;DR

Arch Manning acknowledged that he struggled during the first half of last season due to not having fun. He believes that enjoying the game is key to his improvement as Texas' starting quarterback.

Key points

Arch Manning struggled in the first half of last season
He played without enjoyment, which affected his performance
Manning believes having fun is key to his improvement
He was harshly criticized by media outlets
The New York Times compared him to Tim Tebow

Mentioned in this story

Arch ManningTim Tebow

Texas

Arch Manning didn’t have fun the first half of last season. His words.

He played ticked off.

The result? Not good.

Manning wobbled out of the gates in his first season as the Texas starting quarterback. The critiques and hot takes came from all corners.

He went from being the best college quarterback since Tim Tebow to college football’s first-ever flop — that’s how the New York Times described it, in a piece worthy of the Hyperbole Hall of Fame — in a matter of weeks.

Penthouse to outhouse at warp speed.

Through five games, Texas had two losses. Manning’s performance, while not terrible, was nowhere near what we’d expected from a blue-chipper with the most famous surname in college football.

Someone with Manning’s pedigree surely had undergone countless media trainings and mental coaching to try prepare him for the pressure, and he probably also picked up on a few family tricks via osmosis, but I’m not sure any amount of prep work could have fully prepared him for the hurricane of scrutiny he faced.

Arch Manning: 'I could have had more fun.'

These guys are getting paid now, so criticism comes with the territory — now more than ever. And, still, few college athletes will ever be under the magnifying glass to the same extent Manning was in 2025.

Manning, while talking to reporters this week at Texas, gave a frank self-assessment of his 2025 performance and how it affected him.

“I think I could have had more fun. The first half of the season, I was (ticked off)," Manning told reporters. “I wasn't playing well, and it wasn't fun for me.”

So, Manning opted for a midseason pivot in mentality that can be summed up in two words.

Screw it.

Again, his words.

Whatever works.