Texas quarterback Arch Manning stole the show during the Longhorns Orange and White Spring Game, throwing three touchdowns and connecting on some truly special throws during a breakout performance. Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers only played one drive as coach Steve Sarkisian wanted to get Manning and true freshman Trey Owens some live reps.
Manning completed 19-of-25 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns in the performance, including two separate 75-yard touchdown throws. In the first quarter, Manning found sophomore DeAndre Moore for a 75-yard touchdown pass after a miscommunication by the Texas secondary. His throw went more than 50 yards downfield with ease.
Later, Manning quickly recognized a one-on-one advantage and lobbed a pass over the defense to find star receiver Isaiah Bond, who shook his corner with a strong release. Bond did the rest of the work, clearing a second 75-yard touchdown. Manning’s other touchdown pass was a crosser to running back Jaydon Blue.
Sarkisian has been adamant that Manning is not in contention for the starting quarterback job as Ewers returns for his third year as a starter. Ewers became the first Texas quarterback to win a Big 12 championship since 2009 after leading the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff. However, the impressive performance should only make Sarkisian feel better about his program’s depth.
While Manning was the story of the day, third-string signal caller Trey Owens had a sensational performance of his own. His Orange Team actually won the game 35-34 after Owens connected with freshman receiver Ryan Wingo for a beautifully thrown end zone fade. Owens completed 14-of-21 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns of his own.
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