
The hype that surrounded Texas heading into the 2025 season has evaporated faster than anyone in Austin could have imagined.
Once the nation’s preseason No. 1 team, the Longhorns are now out of the AP Top 25 after a 29-21 defeat to Florida dropped them to 3-2.
The loss deepened frustration among fans and analysts, but one familiar voice came to the defense of sophomore quarterback Arch Manning: former Texas A&M star and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.
Speaking on the Nightcap Show on Sunday, Manziel admitted he has been tough on Manning in the past, but said the criticism surrounding him has gone too far.
“I’ve been critical of him and I’ve said certain things,” Manziel said. “And it’s not his fault. His last name is what it is. It’s not his fault that people were clamoring for him last year with Quinn Ewers.”
The comments offered a rare bit of empathy in a season that has turned brutal for Texas.
Manning arrived as one of the most hyped recruits in recent memory, the grandson of Archie Manning and nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning, and was expected to carry the Longhorns toward another playoff run.
Instead, Texas has stumbled through inconsistent play, unsteady protection, and a series of mistakes that have left the program searching for identity.
Manziel urges patience for Manning’s growth
Manziel, who knows firsthand what it means to play under relentless attention, said Manning simply needs time.
“He is a young kid that is developing under a very good coach in a program that has potential,” he explained.
“At the end of the day for Arch, these are growing pains a year for him as a sophomore. He can come back in two years and be a great quarterback and have a great career and do what he needs to do and be a Texas legend. But for right now, this team, the preseason number one, they’re not that team that we thought they were.”
Saturday’s loss in Gainesville showed both Manning’s potential and his growing pains. He completed 16 of 29 passes for 263 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions, while also being sacked six times.
At moments, he displayed poise and touch; at others, he struggled under pressure, forcing throws and absorbing hits behind an overmatched offensive line.
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