Overview
- Manning has shown clear improvement with consecutive wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi State, completing 68 percent of his passes and throwing four touchdowns in that span.
- A film review published Monday found Texas is allowing pressure on a third to nearly half of Manning’s drop-backs and has surrendered roughly as many sacks in five SEC games this season as it did in eight last year.
- Coach Steve Sarkisian publicly said he has “never felt better” about Manning and praised his grit while also warning against overusing him as a runner to protect his health.
- Staff have quietly kept redshirt freshman KJ Lacey ready with extra first‑team reps as a contingency, while game film also flags Manning’s tendency to hold the ball too long on some plays.
- Texas faces a season‑defining road stretch at Missouri and LSU that will shape Manning’s starting future, his draft evaluation, and the Longhorns’ narrow path to the College Football Playoff.