When you heard that yesterday, uh, what'd you make of that? I mean, do you think we would look at Arch Manning as successful if his last name wasn't Manning?

Well, I do think because his name is Manning, he immediately went to the front of the line on these expectation boards, Heisman Trophy, um, NFL draft pick.

I do think that because of his last name, um, because there's precedent with his uncles.

The, you know, the part about what he's done on the field, his numbers are, are pretty good all, all, all said, you know? I mean, his career numbers, like at this point in their careers, he's right there with Colt McCoy and, you know, Vince Young, whatever, after so many starts.

But this is a no excuses year for Texas because of the talent they have, because of the talent they acquired in the portal, and because Arch Manning has shown flashes of brilliance and, and if you look at the tape from the OU game, you'll see plays where, what are you thinking? And he's...

You know, he had two fourth quarter interceptions against Florida last year.

He was under siege.

Is there anybody that is pushing Arch? Is it a possibility that even if Arch wants to come back to Texas next year, he's not gonna be Sark's guy?

When you heard that yesterday, uh, what'd you make of that? I mean, do you think we would look at Arch Manning as successful if his last name wasn't Manning?

Well, I do think because his name is Manning, he immediately went to the front of the line on these expectation boards, Heisman Trophy, um, NFL draft pick.

I do think that because of his last name, um, because there's precedent with his uncles.

The, you know, the part about what he's done on the field, his numbers are, are pretty good, all, all, all said, you know? I mean, his career numbers, like at this point in their careers, he's right there with Colt McCoy and, you know, Vince Young, whatever, after so many starts.

But this is a no excuses year for Texas because of the talent they have, because of the talent they acquired in the portal, and because Arch Manning has shown flashes of brilliance.

And, and if you look at the tape from the OU game, you'll see plays where, what are you thinking? And he's...

You know, he had two fourth quarter interceptions against Florida last year.

Sayin.Is there anybody that is pushing Arch? Is it a possibility that even if Arch wants to come back to Texas next year, he's not gonna be Sark's guy?

Hmm

... threw it all away at USC, and then gradually built it back.

And I think that makes his players vulnerable to tell their stories to each other.

It builds a bond, um, that's unique, and in this day and age of the, you know, NIL and the transfer portal, it builds that connection, that personal connection between teammates.

And, and then, you know, he tries to put them in position to be successful.

Hmm.

So he adjusts well.

And I think you saw that.

Do you think we see maybe kind of a polar opposite game this year, where it's more scoring, more offense, and these quarterbacks a little more comfortable, a year older, a year later, and we see a higher scoring game, total's 15 and a half? Do you have any feel for what kind of pace, what kind of scoring we'll see tonight?

Well, I said I thought Texas would win this game 27 to 13.

So I don't know, um, what the over under is, but I think, I think we will see more points than, than what we saw last year for sure.

That was a 14-7 game.

Uh, both, both young quarterbacks, Julian Saine and Arch Manning, you know, had training wheels on in that game.

They're much more confident players, and so I, I imagine we're gonna see...

You know, we're gonna kind of see what Arthur Smith is all about because his reputation in the NFL was, you know, run the football, play action pass.

But is this a spot where Sarkisian, if he loses two or three games this year, maybe doesn't even make the SEC championship game, is this a spot where, we know how the people are down in Austin, could he be in maybe a little bit of trouble if he can't win games like this one against Ohio State?

So what, what would you make of their week one performance, Chip?

I thought it was...

I thought...

And I thought it was spotty.

Um, especially on the offensive line, the interior offensive line.

Um, it kind of looked like a little bit of last year and the year before, where they can pass protect well, but they struggle to, to get movement in the interior of the line in the run game.

Um, and, you know, you can say it was hot.

So how would you assess the red zone play and, and how it could factor in in this game?

So what, what would you make of their week one performance, Chip?

I thought it was, I thought...

And I thought it was spotty.

Um, especially on the offensive line, the interior offensive line.

Um, it kind of looked like a little bit of last year and the year before, where they can pass protect well, but they struggle to, to get movement in the interior of the line in the run game.

Um, and, you know, you can say it was hot.

You can say they might have been looking ahead, a couple guys coming off injuries, but still, it, it wasn't, um, anywhere near where it needs to be.

When, when you look at the Ohio State side of things, uh, um, obviously we know Jeremiah Smith, Julian Sayin, are there other aspects of this team that look, uh, like they can make Texas vulnerable, that you feel like are gonna be overly problematic? Where, where do you view just from the Ohio State roster perspective that Texas gotta be careful with what they're bringing to the table outside the obvious?

On the leadership, the veterans of this football team, I absolutely think Arch can be one of those guys that people rally around and can be one of the voices of reason for this football team, but where is the rest of that aspect of this team right now for Steve Sarkeesian?

Well, he's got leadership on pretty much every layer.

You've got Trevor Goosby on that offensive line.

You've got two veterans even though they're transfers in the running back room with raleigh brown and hollywood smothers those guys are hungry to win you know part of the reason they transferred from arizona state and nc state was they wanted to win they wanted a chance to try to you know play for a championship um arch is an unquestioned leader and he really wasn't at this time a year ago um He's a guy who wanted to earn it.

And as we know, the beginning of the season did not go well for Arch.

I mean, you know, I think if people watch the Ohio State game and the Florida game, they probably checked out on Arch.

You know, but you saw it start to come back the following week after the Florida game against Oklahoma.

So how is the learning curve going for that group?

On the leadership, the veterans of this football team, I absolutely think Arch can be one of those guys that people rally around and can be one of the voices of reason for this football team, but where is the rest of that aspect of this team right now for Steve Sarkeesian?

Well, he's got leadership on pretty much every layer.

You've got Trevor Goosby on that offensive line.

You've got two veterans even though they're transfers in the running back room with Raleigh Brown and Hollywood Smothers those guys are hungry to win you know part of the reason they transferred from Arizona State and NC State was they wanted to win they wanted a chance to try to you know play for a championship um Arch is an unquestioned leader and he really wasn't at this time a year ago um He's a guy who wanted to earn it.

And as we know, the beginning of the season did not go well for Arch.

I mean, you know, I think if people watch the Ohio State game and the Florida game, they probably checked out on Arch.

You know, but you saw it start to come back the following week after the Florida game against Oklahoma.

So how is the learning curve going for that group?

What do you attribute that regression to?

Well, I think Arch Manning had to get out of his own head.

I mean, I think the pressure got to him.

And look, how many guys in, in that big of a spotlight are gonna have to go open their time as the guy at Ohio State against a defense that has Caleb Downs and Sonny Stiles and, you know, Arvelle Rees? And still, I mean, the offense was terrible in that game.

And Arch, like, he comes out and he throws that first pass.

He skips it.

It's wide open.

Hm.