Texas coach Steve Sarkisian defended quarterback Arch Manning on Monday, suggesting the famous name on the back of his jersey is leading to greater scrutiny.
Manning, the grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and nephew of Super Bowl winners Eli and Peyton, threw two costly interceptions in the fourth quarter of the Longhorns' 27-24 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday.
The first one was returned 42 yards for a touchdown by safety Peyton Bowen, which gave the Sooners a 24-17 lead. The second came with 19 seconds left in regulation, setting up Tate Sandell's winning 47-yard field goal on the final play.
"I think if you took the name off the back of his jersey and you said, 'Here's Joe Smith playing quarterback at the University of Texas and here's a guy who's beaten four top-10 ranked teams in his last 13 starts,' we'd be praising the guy," Sarkisian told reporters in Austin, Texas, on Monday. "But the expectations are high for him, and he understands that. The expectations are high for all of us, so we've got to put our nose back to the grind and get back to work."
Manning was considered a potential No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL draft and a Heisman Trophy contender before the season. He has completed 63% of his passes for 1,122 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.
It hasn't all been bad for Manning in his second season as a starter. On Sept. 12, he helped the Longhorns erase a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter to knock off then-No. 1 Ohio State 24-23 in Austin.
But Manning didn't make the plays the Longhorns needed to hold off Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry game Saturday. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 260 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
"It's not fun when it's happening but there's only one way to respond," Manning told reporters Monday. "You can let it linger and let it affect the next week, or you can bounce it back. So you have one choice."
Oklahoma's defense slowed down the Texas running game, allowing only 122 yards and 3.8 yards per carry. Derek Cooper was the team's leading rusher with 41 yards.
Texas' offense had seven three-and-outs against OU and is converting 44.6% of third-down plays this season.
"I thought there was a level of confidence, consistency, and rhythm he was in when he was throwing the ball," Sarkisian said. "We've got to continue to run the ball better, so it's not all on his shoulders."
Consistency has been an issue for the Texas offense, even before its stunning loss to the unranked Sooners. The Longhorns rank 59th in the FBS in scoring (31.4 points) and 79th in total offense (379.2 yards).
Sarkisian was asked again Monday if he has considered giving up the offensive playcalling. He's a former offensive coordinator at USC and Alabama and for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.
"I think you can go through ebbs and flows of rhythm and scheme and tying it all together and the personnel and all those things," Sarkisian said. "And so, clearly, we've been just a little bit off. I think we're close, and that's the encouraging part."
Texas plays Florida at home on Saturday.
The Gators stunned the Longhorns 29-21 in the Swamp last season. Manning threw for 263 yards with two touchdowns, but also had two interceptions in the fourth quarter.