HOUSTON — University of Texas head football coach Steve Sarkisian said quarterback Arch Manning has improved his fundamentals and showed toughness during his first season as a starter for the Longhorns.
Sarkisian made the remarks during a Touchdown Club of Houston luncheon, where he said Manning has worked on improving his accuracy, particularly in short and intermediate passing.
“He has really worked hard and that’s going to really help him from an accuracy standpoint,” Sarkisian said.
Manning, who led Texas to a 10-3 record, completed 61.4% of his passes for 3,163 yards with 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 399 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He played through a right foot injury that affected his throwing mechanics and delayed surgery. He was also pressured 165 times and was sacked 26 times during the season.
Sarkisian said Manning handled adversity and earned respect within the team.
“Every one of them said Arch Manning. Think about that for a second,” Sarkisian said, referring to teammates identifying him as the team’s toughest player.
Manning is the nephew of former NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, and the grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning.
Sarkisian said Manning is expected to continue developing heading into the upcoming season.
