With Arch Manning '100%' healthy, Heisman hype builds as Texas QB preps for breakout 2026

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Three months after offseason foot surgery limited him during spring practice, Texas quarterback Arch Manning is ready to get after it ahead of his redshirt junior season with the Longhorns.

"I feel 100% right now. ... We're kind of taking it slow, but if we had a game today, I'd be playing," Manning said Wednesday ahead of Saturday's final spring scrimmage.

Rehabilitating at a slow, but steady pace was the game plan all along for Manning coming out of his impressive finish to the 2025 season, which included 1,714 yards passing, 14 touchdowns and two interceptions along with 206 yards rushing and five scores over the last six games.

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Manning said he was admittedly too hard on himself early as a first-year starter last fall, leading to him pressing in September and not showing the results he would've liked.

"We kind of really got together and was like, 'We just got to have fun, man. This hasn't been fun,'" Manning said. "We all got closer as an offense, as a team. ... I think we started to play better and think y'all could maybe see it on the field."

Heisman campaign loading

One of this season's Heisman frontrunners after struggling to perform under similar expectations in 2025 for the nation's top-ranked team, Manning is a year wiser and understands how to deal with the pressure this time around.

Given the resources Texas earmarked for transfer portal acquisitions this cycle, including the signing of top-rated wideout Cam Coleman, the upcoming campaign for Manning could be legacy-defining and may alter the trajectory of a program with national title expectations.

There's a reason he's one of the favorites to go No. 1 overall in the 2027 NFL Draft. Everything about the situation in Austin points to a quarterback ready to make "the leap," and if you've followed the buildup to this moment, it feels less like a question of if and more about how big it's going to be if the Longhorns meet sizable expectations.

Unlike at this juncture a year ago, Manning is a seasoned SEC starter who has taken his lumps, dissected elite defenses and adjusted to the speed of the college game. Manning's processing, timing and command of the offense should all be operating at a different level with double-digit starts under his belt.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has limited Manning to 7-on-7 portions of spring drills as well as in individual pass-catching drills, but has not positioned his franchise player during 11-on-11 periods.

That's by design, and the way Sarkisian puts it, the veteran leader of the program has noticed enhanced leadership qualities as a result of being more vocal despite not being a full-practice competitor.

"A year ago, we all knew Arch had natural leadership ability," Sarkisian said. "And he was like, 'I need to go earn being a leader. I need to do it before I become the leader.' And we were like, 'No, no, you need to lead. You're the quarterback. We need you to lead.

"And so he really wasn't himself for a good chunk of that season last year -- maybe until almost the second half of the season."

Transfer portal enhancements

Texas has recruited at an elite level under Sarkisian and is armed with a top-five portal class that filled a couple of holes on the roster; that talent likely matures into production. The offensive line should be among the SEC's best -- experienced, physical and built to keep Manning upright with projected future first-rounders Trevor Goosby and Brandon Baker as the anchors.

Skill talent? It's Texas. There will be no shortage of explosive playmakers on the outside and in the backfield, giving Manning options at every level of the field. Ex-NC State running back Hollywood Smothers and former Arizona State ballcarrier Raleek Brown were the most notable gets outside of Coleman.

Equally important is system continuity. There's no substitute for comfort in an offense, and Manning should have a firm grasp of the playbook, audibles and pre-snap reads entering Year 4 in the scheme. Familiarity allows a quarterback to play fast -- and when Sarkisian's offenses click, quarterback decision-making is paramount.

NFL scouts want to see less hesitation and more anticipation, and this is where Manning's level of play should be heightened during his second year as a starter.

Motivation won't be an issue for Manning and the Longhorns after missing out on a College Football Playoff appearance last season. Despite a 9-3 finish, with wins over three top-10 teams during SEC play, Texas was left out of the 12-team bracket and took out its frustrations on Michigan in the Citrus Bowl.

Expectations are clear for a program just two seasons removed from being a red-zone conversion away from getting to the national championship game. Manning has carried the weight of his last name and recruiting hype for years. This is the season where it could all align -- talent, experience, roster strength and opportunity.