Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian dropped the least explosive bombshell in the history of college football on Thursday. Arch Manning, the former No. 1 overall recruit who has served as Quinn Ewers' backup for the past two seasons, will be the Texas starting quarterback for the 2025 season. Next, he might tell us that burnt orange and white are the team's primary colors!
It's certainly worth noting that Manning is still relatively inexperienced and largely unproven. He filled in for Ewers while the starter dealt with an oblique injury this past season and was on the field for subpackages. There are still questions that remain about how the offense will change, what Arch is as a passer and so on, though.
The good news for Arch Manning and every Texas fan, however, is that the Longhorns roster is absolutely loaded. The young quarterback won't be out on an island trying to do everything himself. He'll be surrounded with plenty of high-quality help. That doesn't mean every spot is a certainty, though.
Having said that, there are three clear players beyond more proven commodities who will go a long way in determining how Arch Manning and Texas perform in the 2025 season and if the Longhorns can live up to their national championship aspirations.
3. WR Kaliq Lockett
Despite losing Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond and Silas Bolden going into the 2025 season, Manning will have some familiar faces in the building at receiver. Ryan Wingo could be the star of the pass-catcher group and Deandre Moore flashed real potential and offers valuable versatility. The depth, however, is the bigger question, which is why someone like true freshman Kaliq Lockett could have a huge role to play in this offense immediately.
Lockett was rated as the No. 2 wide receiver and No. 18 overall player in the 2025 recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite before committing to the Longhorns. At 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, you want to see him put on a bit more bulk but his speed and length present a matchup problem immediately. His track background shows high-level explosiveness and he figures to be an immediate impact player at Texas.
For Manning in particular, though, he could be huge. Not only does he present a big-play and 50-50 ball threat down the field but he helps answer some questions at the top of Sark's often deep receiver rotation. How quickly Lockett hits the ground running with the Longhorns offense could help Manning acquiesce more seamlessly as he takes over as the starter.
2. OT Brandon Baker
While injuries are never a good thing, particularly on the offensive line, the 2025 Longhorns are likely somewhat thankful at how things played out. With Kelvin Banks Jr. and Cameron Williams off to the NFL Draft but experiencing some injuries late in the year, the replacement at left tackle, Trevor Goosby, got plenty of runway to get his feet wet at the position and show his promise. It should give Arch plenty of confidence that Texas has the right big body protecting his blindside.
The right tackle spot, however, is more of a question mark. It appears that 2024 recruit Brandon Baker is the best candidate to take that spot and the upside is clearly there. He's a big body with a top-end recruiting pedigree as a former 4-star recruit who should be able to come in and look the part. The biggest question is the lack of experience and what that could look like.
One thing I often worry about with young college quarterbacks, even those with Manning's name and talent, is how they handle pressure or mitigate risks under pressure. There's a chance Baker comes in and is a stud — if there's a learning curve, however, Arch will have to navigate that and it could be a tone-setter from early on in the campaign.
1. RB CJ Baxter
For so much of the 2024 season, even with how damn good the Longhorns were, there were deserved critiques of the rushing attack. It certainly improved late in the season as Quintrevion Wisner came into his own, yet it was impossible not to think how much different things would've looked had CJ Baxter's season not ended prior to Week 1 and if the former 5-star recruit had been on the field.
Baxter is now slated to return for the 2025 campaign, though, and that's a huge boost for Texas. Even in a limited role in 2023, he flashed his immense talent with 815 all-purpose yards on fewer than 170 touches. His impact on Manning is going to be huge too. Nothing makes a quarterback's life, regardless of experience level, easier than having a strong, reliable rushing attack behind them. Baxter offers that opportunity as he returns to action.
Even better for Arch Manning is the fact that Baxter will also have Wisner and Jerrick Gibson to help spell him at the position as well, giving Texas a deeper and more reliable stable of backs than the previous season. But Baxter should be the leader in that group and his excellence or lack thereof depending on how the chips fall will be critical to Manning getting off the ground and staying there as he takes the starting reins.