Desmond Howard floats theory about Arch Manning's Heisman hopes

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Urban Meyer on Arch Manning, Alabama, Bill Belichick’s 'shocking' debut loss | FULL INTERVIEW | The Herd

Urban Meyer joins Colin Cowherd to discuss the panic over Arch Manning, Alabama’s opening day loss and Bill Belichick and UNC’s ‘shocking’ loss to TCU on opening night.

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After experiencing limited playing time while backing up Quinn Ewers his first two seasons at Texas, Arch Manning opened his first season as a full-time starter Saturday.

The young quarterback finished the season-opening 14-7 loss to Ohio State with 170 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. The underwhelming performance sparked mixed reactions from fans and prominent sports figures.

Heisman Trophy winner and ESPN "College GameDay" analyst Desmond Howard was among the latest to offer thoughts about whether Manning will bounce back and eventually live up to the hype.

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ESPN "College GameDay" analyst and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard on set before a game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Indiana Hoosiers Aug. 31, 2017, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. (James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Howard, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1991, suggested Manning should not have been included in offseason discussions about the leading candidates for college football's most coveted trophy.

"All of the hype and Heisman talk around him was unwarranted," Howard said on Thursday's edition of "The Rich Eisen Show."

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"He doesn’t deserve having his name in the same breath as that trophy."

Howard also critiqued what he observed from Manning when he watched film of him playing and theorized his last name shields him from some criticism.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning drops back to pass against Ohio State during the first half Aug. 30, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio.  (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

"People don’t want to really criticize him, partially because he is a Manning," Howard added. "They want to stay in good favor with the Mannings, as they are a big name in our sport. So, what they do is make it seem like Matt Patricia, the defensive coordinator for Ohio State, just called this brilliant game that kept Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning off balance for four whole quarters."

The hype surrounding Arch, the nephew of NFL greats Peyton and Eli Manning and grandson of New Orleans Saintslegend Archie Manning, escalated as the 2025 season drew closer.

Peyton Manning couldn't be more excited to watch his nephew, Arch Manning, lead the Texas Longhorns in 2025.  (Imagn)

Howard also shared his thoughts about the Longhorns' roster as a whole, saying the team was incapable of outlasting a team of Ohio State's caliber on the road.

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Scouts who watched Saturday's Texas-Ohio State game were split on Manning. One NFL scout described the showing as "tough to watch," while another took a more cautious approach to writing the book on the quarterback.

Texas hosts San Jose State Saturday.

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