Johnny Manziel gave his two cents on the Quinn Ewers vs. Arch Manning quarterback controversy in Austin, which is heating up as the Texas Longhorns prepare for their College Football Playoff matchup against the Clemson Tigers.
Ewers has long held the starting job, but fans are calling for the freshman sensation, Manning, to take the reins amidst offensive inconsistencies.
Johnny Manziel Wants Texas To Give More Time to Arch Manning
Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner and Texas A&M legend, weighed in on the topic but didn’t go full throttle for a full-time switch to Manning. Appearing on “The Action Network’s BBOC Podcast,” Manziel had a suggestion for Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian.
“I think they’re gonna have to continue to find ways to work (Manning) into the offense a little bit,” he said. “I don’t know if they were gonna regret it, but they definitely have a good quarterback on their bench, and they’re definitely being loyal to Quinn Ewers.”
Manziel’s comments come after Ewers’ rollercoaster performance in the SEC Championship against Georgia. While he threw for 358 yards, the 21-year-old Texas native cost two costly interceptions and inability to finish drives in the red zone, which left the Longhorns just short in a 22-19 overtime loss.
Meanwhile, Manning has proven to be effective when called upon. So far, he’s recorded 939 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions in limited action this season. The debate over who should start intensified after Sarkisian chose not to give Manning considerable playing time against Georgia, even when the Bulldogs successfully kick-started their offense with a mid-game quarterback change.
This isn’t the first time Manziel has weighed in on the Quinn Ewers—Arch Manning debate. When the Longhorns played for the Bulldogs in October, Texas was down 20-0 in the first half to Kirby Smart’s men. The Texas HC changed quarterback because Ewers was not having a good day, having completed just 50% of his passes for 17 yards.
“I just felt like giving (Ewers) a chance to step back and regroup,” Sarkisian stated in his postgame conference. “So we just told Quinn, ‘Hey, we’re going to go with Arch here, give you a chance to get into the locker room…”
Steve Sarkisian: "My feeling in the game was I felt Quinn was a little uneasy. I felt like giving him a chance to kind of step back and regroup. I didn't know if we'd get a series or two with Arch depending on how much time was remaining in the half on the clock. So we told Quinn…
— Inside Texas (@InsideTexas) October 20, 2024
Maziel questioned Sarkisian’s decision, saying, “Coach Sark has come out and said that (Ewers) is his guy, he’s our starter, so at no point throughout would I ever think I would see him have to go to the bench. I thought that was a really weird decision. I don’t think it’s a situation where you have to go to the sideline and look at something or anything like that.”
However, Manziel did admit that seeing Manning on the field could excite fans. “When you’re in the position (Texas) was this week, scraping and clawing for anything, it’s gonna get people talking to see Arch out there.”
As Texas faces Clemson on December 21, all eyes will be on the Longhorns’ quarterback situation. While Ewers will likely start, Sarkisian may need to lean on Manning’s versatility to give the offense a much-needed edge. Whether the 19-year-old Manning gets his moment or remains in a supporting role, the QB drama in Austin is far from over.