Steve Sarkisian faces brutal decision from Arch Manning as Texas season begins to slip away amid losses

As the noise around college football continues to get louder and louder regarding what is currently happening in Texas for Steve Sarkisian. It’s starting to become clearer that the Longhorns head coach is feeling the pressure regarding the current situation with Arch Manning.

There are issues with Texas’ offense that many thought would be resolved by the time its quarterback reached his second season as a starter.

Unfortunately for those in Austin, the problems have only increased since the Longhorns staged a fourth-quarter comeback to beat Ohio State in early September.

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Now, after its second straight loss, this time to unranked Florida, the college football world is wondering if Sarkisian is willing to make the tough decision to bench Arch Manning if the quarterback can’t start putting together a consistent play on the field.

Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns reacts after a 20-17 victory against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 26, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Getty Images)

But it’s no surprise that Manning will lead his team onto the field in Austin this weekend against Ole Miss as the starting quarterback. Although that doesn’t mean the Texas head coach is willing to risk his chances of winning the CFP if Arch can’t show improvement in the first half on Saturday.

“I think there’s no doubt about it, Arch can play better for us,” Sarkisian said Monday. “He’s our starter, but I need to see a better version of Arch Manning like I need to see a better version of a lot of guys on our offensive football team right now, but we need to see a better version of him this week.”

Sarkisian can say this until he’s blue in the face, but in fact, replacing sophomore starting quarterback KJ Lacey will be a decision that will have consequences.

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If this continues, Texas has no choice but to act

While this would undoubtedly be the toughest decision Steve Sarkisian has had to make during his time in Austin, many are wondering if the Longhorns coach is willing to pull his starting quarterback from the game if the situation calls for it.

And I promise you, a lot depends on the decision if it comes to that.

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Steve Sarkisian can’t risk losing his job to Manning, even if it makes it look like a coach falling to the sword.

He shouldn’t be in this situation either. I know this may shock people, but a player cannot take precedence over a team that is fighting to make the playoffs and compete for a title.

The problem for Texas is that it is one loss away from losing all hope of making the College Football Playoff.

But if the Longhorns fail to capitalize on the amount of talent they have accumulated through the transfer portal and recruiting, a number of other decisions will need to be made within the Texas athletic department regarding the future of this program.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on before the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee on September 26, 2026. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

So what does this staff do in this situation other than weather the storm and hope things improve this Saturday against Ole Miss?

Encouraging one of the hottest players in college football to keep pushing, but also realizing that this is a business that involves high-stakes decisions.

“I think that’s our job as a coach, and part of it is Arch’s job, the player, right? There’s two parts to this, right? You have to continue to influence him and coach him and put him in the best mindset to be successful,” Sarkisian said.

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“Sometimes it’s praising him. Sometimes it’s tough love, and we have to be honest with him about where he needs to improve. And like I said earlier, we have to see a better version of him this week in practice and in the game, because at the end of the day, the player is there, and it’s our job to try to get him out.

What would this mean for the future of Arch Manning?

This is the million-dollar question currently sparking many conversations within the college football community.

Arch hasn’t done anything this season that proves he’s worthy enough to be a first-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft. But that also doesn’t mean Manning is ready to test the professional waters rather than return for another season.

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If Texas decides to go with KJ Lacey, then would that mean the Arch experiment is over? Could Manning look to the transfer portal if things continue to go south in Austin?

These are questions being asked behind the scenes in academia right now, and they’re growing louder this weekend.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, center, celebrates with his players after their victory against Ohio State in an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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No one really knows what the future holds for this Texas football program, but the evidence is starting to mount that Manning may not actually be the answer everyone thought he could be at one point.

And by the way, it’s okay. Arch doesn’t have to live up to the hype, although it’s understandable why he feels the pressure.

But at the same time, Steve Sarkisian is risking his job with this Texan attack that is not producing results.

So the real question is whether the Longhorns coach is willing to make one of the boldest decisions of a coach’s career and bench a “Manning.”

Sargsyan hopes that doesn’t happen, although I can assure you he is at least starting to think about it.