ESPN's Paul Finebaum hails Arch Manning as generational QB, rips Sark for playing Ewers

USA Today

4 days ago

The buzz and expectations are growing around Texas QB Arch Manning as the start of the 2025 season approaches. ESPN college football guru Paul Finebaum thinks Manning is a generational talent.
Finebaum thinks Manning's potential is through "the absolute roof" and he will most likely be a Heisman finalist.
'I think there's a reasonably good chance that Arch Manning will be sitting on the front row in New York at the Heisman ceremony, that's assuming his team does what it is supposed to do and competes not only for the SEC but for the national championship. And I really believe they will." -- ESPN's Paul Finebaum
The longtime SEC journalist is comparing the arrival of Manning to the arrival of one of the best college quarterbacks of the modern era.
'I believe also that Arch Manning is the best college football quarterback we have seen since Tim Tebow entered the scene in 2006." -- ESPN's Paul Finebaum
Finebaum, who works with Tebow on SEC Nation, also thinks Texas coach Steve Sarkisian made a major mistake not going to Manning last season during UT's college football playoffs semifinal loss to Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
'I think Steve Sarkisian ... made a critical mistake late in the year. He was way too loyal to Quinn Ewers, who was banged up and really ineffective. Had Arch Manning been (inserted) in the 2nd half of that game vs. Ohio State like Nick Saban did years ago with Tua Tagovailoa, I think there's a reasonably good chance that Texas would have beaten Ohio State and won the national championship.' -- ESPN's Paul Finebaum.
Finebaum's take isn't unique among pundits outside the Texas program. Last week, former Florida coach Steve Spurrier said something very similar.
'Most people are picking Texas to win the SEC in football. They've got Arch Manning already winning the Heisman, too. My question is, if he was this good how come they let Quinn Ewers play all the time last year? He was a 7th round pick?' -- Steve Spurrier on Another Dooley Noted Podcast
And USA TODAY Sports writer Matt Hayes said the decision to keep Manning on the bench was, "what could one day be considered a monumentally poor decision by one of the game's best coaches."
Of course, Sark doesn't agree with that logic and says there's a big reason he was loyal to Ewers.
"First of all, Quinn Ewers decided to come to the University of Texas when we were a 5-11 football team. We owe a ton to Quinn. Because if Quinn Ewers doesn't come, I don't know if the next five guys are coming. And if those next 5 guys don't come, I don't know if the next 10 guys are coming. Here's a guy that started for three years at quarterback for us. Battled injuries all three years. Leads us to two college football playoffs. Leads us to a Big 12 championship. Leads us to an SEC Championship Game, our first year in the conference. And that's his 'legacy' here. His legacy is way bigger than just that."" -- Texas coach Steve Sarkisian told CBS Sports' Josh Pate in May.
On Monday, Sark told ESPN's Greg McElroy that he thinks Manning actually had the perfect situation to thrive and is ready now that he's the starting QB.
"I don't think that I could have predicted a better way for this to go for him. He's grown exponentially. Not only on the football field, but as a leader, as a person. I think he's ready to play now and play at a high level and I think he's earned the respect of this teammates. They know he's not playing because of the name on the back of his jersey. He's going to be our starting quarterback because he's earned it." -- Steve Sarkisian on the Always College Football Podcast.
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