Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Oct 17, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up before a game against the Florida Gators at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
Two months ago, Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning was the No. 1 quarterback in several 2027 mock NFL Drafts. Now, after back-to-back ugly losses to rival Oklahoma and Florida, Manning’s grasp on the starting job in Austin looks tenuous as best.
Manning’s raw numbers in the losses don’t look awful. He’s 33-of-51 for 423 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. But the turnovers have also come at the worst possible time, including a back-breaking fumble toward the end of the Florida game that all but handed the victory to the Gators.
Afterward, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian was clear that he planned to asses every option going forward, including a potential change at quarterback.
“Everything’s going to be evaluated,” Sarkisian said. “Everything means everything. It would be easy for me to say, ‘Hey, Arch was the problem today.’ Was Arch perfect? No. But nobody was perfect on offense today.
“We’re not playing very good football right now,” he added. “I have to evaluate everything. It’s gonna be a long night.”
Sources: Texas is expected to give an up-tick in first-team quarterback reps to redshirt freshman KJ Lacey Jr. this week in practice. Arch Manning still projects as the Texas starter. The uptick in Lacey’s reps is a signal that Texas could replace Manning if he continues to struggle.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 19, 2026
Texas Longhorns Set To Give KJ Lacey Some Of Arch Manning’s Playing Time
Sarkisian didn’t immediately jump to benching Manning in favor of backup KJ Lacey. However, ESPN’s Pete Thamel now reports that Lacey is expected to get more playing time going forward, making it a truly open competition between him and Manning.
“Sources: Texas is expected to give an up-tick in first-team quarterback reps to redshirt freshman KJ Lacey Jr. this week in practice,” Thamel posted on X. “Arch Manning still projects as the Texas starter. The uptick in Lacey’s reps is a signal that Texas could replace Manning if he continues to struggle.”
Lacey, a four-star recruit in the class of 2025, has just eight pass attempts this season. But he’s completed seven of those eight attempts for 63 yards.
Now it appears he’ll have a chance to show what he can do in an expanded role. And if he continues to impress, Manning’s job may well be in serious jeopardy.