Cooper Manning expects Arch Manning will struggle in first year as Texas' starting QB

We have to give it time. Even though 2025 will mark Arch Manning's third season on campus at Texas, he has only started two games in his college football career up to this point. He may have a famous last name and a five-star rating coming out of high school, but he is still largely unproven as an SEC quarterback. He may have won both of his starts, but those came against ULM and Mississippi State.

Regardless, Texas is the pick by many to win the College Football Playoff next season. That would require Manning being as good, if not better than his predecessor Quinn Ewers in Steve Sarkisian's offense. This is why Manning's father Cooper Manning wants us all to pump the brakes a bit on anointing his son as the next superstar in college football before he is ready to become that player.

Manning talked about his son while on The Dan Patrick Show, citing it is okay for his son to struggle.

“I think having your children struggle with some things is good. Yeah, it's frustrating not to play. Did he love it? No. Was it probably good for him in the long run? Yes. you don’t want your kiddos to come home and be unhappy, but at the same time, sometimes going through a little hardship and some bumps in the road are good."

Manning continued by saying we love building somebody up just to tear them down at a later date.

"Arch is going to have plenty more of those. These are the real ones, when you get beat this year and have bad games. I mean you, know how they do it in the media, they crown you way too early and then they jump on and kill ya. So he’s getting way too much attention and way too much credit and he’s going to struggle, and they’re going to say 'He’s not as good, he’s overrated!' It’s coming, everybody knows it.”

Here is a clip of Manning's appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, talking about his son, Arch Manning.

This is a father protecting his son, but him going on Dan Patrick only puts more pressure on Arch...

Cooper Manning expects for Arch Manning to struggle next fall at Texas

Here is how I see it shaking out for Manning in his first season as the starting quarterback at Texas. He will wow us against lesser competition from the jump, forcing his way into the September Heisman Trophy conversation. It will be somewhat merited, as we end up seeing signs of greatness right away. Unfortunately, he will lose a game or so in SEC play that may impact Texas' national championship bid.

Fortunately, I think we will see him grow with every start he gets under his belt at Texas. It is why thinking he could turn pro after next season is right up there with one of the dumbest possible conclusions a human being could ever come to. He is starting for two years before his family even thinks about letting him turn pro. Manning must approach 30 career starts to be ready for the NFL.

Could he win a national championship at Texas before leaving? Honestly, it would be a shame if he does not accomplish that at some point in the next three years. Will he win the Heisman Trophy? I doubt it because his two uncles and his grandfather never did before him. Someone else will emerge out of the woodwork. However, I do expect that he will be the No. 1 overall pick in 2027, maybe 2028.

Overall, we just need to let Manning be a college quarterback next year and a little bit beyond that. He may have NFL talent in his DNA, but he is nowhere close to being a precision passer at the next level. Manning has been more of a runner than a thrower of the football in his first two years at Texas. You can win a lot of games running the ball in college, but the NFL will always be a totally different animal.

I am excited to see what he can do next season, but I am approaching it with tempered expectations.