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AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 7h ago
A s***-talking Arch Manning is now leading Texas
AUSTIN, TX - APRIL 18: Quarterback Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns walks onto the field during the Texas Longhorns Football Fan Day on April 18, 2026, at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, TX. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
AUSTIN, Texas — Midway through the fourth quarter of the Citrus Bowl win over the Michigan Wolverines, Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning had just led a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to take the lead, capped by a dotted 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kaliq Lockett.
Spotted by cameras on the sideline seconds later, Manning had something to say.
Lip Readers… what did Arch Manning say? pic.twitter.com/lmKNmv7kEt
— Brandon Walker College Football Show (@BFWshow) December 31, 2025
“I’m just gonna stop giving a f***,” Manning said.
When Texas got the ball back after an interception by linebacker Ty’Anthony Smith, Manning wasted little time putting his declaration into effect, running for a 60-yard touchdown that put the game out of reach.
Eight months later, Manning remains out of f***s to give, bantering with star edge Colin Simmons during Monday’s practice after a screen play.
“It’s funny because Arch probably talks a little more shit than people give him credit for outside of our building,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said. “So in practice, there’s a good amount of banter that goes on and now Arch has more confidence, so he gives a little more of that banter. He gives a little more that banter back.”
It’s not an entirely new thing for Manning to flash a little bit of an edge, letting out some of his early-season frustrations on an overmatched Sam Houston defender last year at the end of non-conference play.
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On the scale of people not to mess with, Simmons is in another category, and Sarkisian pointed to the moment as a larger indication of where this Texas team is less than four weeks away from the season opener.
“It was all out of fun. It’s not nothing negative, it’s out of fun, and you could see that they’re loving practice,” Sarkisian said. “They’re loving to practice, but I think that starts when your quarterback loves practice, when he’s having fun being out there, and you can feel those guys responding that way.”
The attitude from Manning reflects his growth in leadership ability from last season — when Manning entered his first season as the starter for the Longhorns, he cared deeply about becoming a vocal leader for Texas when he earned it.
“I’ll tell you this time last year it was like prodding cattle trying to get him to be the leader of the team, but he would always tell me, ‘”I’ll be the leader when I earn it.‘ I said, ‘No, you’ve earned it. You’re the starting quarterback.‘“ Sarkisian said last month.
“He wanted to earn it on the field with his play, and I think that in his mind he’s done that. And we’ve seen a total different version of Arch Manning from a leadership standpoint, from a guy that is standing tall, not just kind of standing in the shadows, but standing tall in the front, being demanding of those guys around him of what the expectation is, but at the same time relaxing, having fun with those guys, so that they they can enjoy the process because it is a grind.”
Arch ManningTexasColin SimmonsQuarterback Arch ManningTexas LonghornsTexas Longhorns Football Fan DayDarrell K RoyalTexas Memorial StadiumAustinPhotoDavid BuonoIcon Sportswire
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