Arch Manning transfer portal: New SEC team rumors arise amid alleged visit to Knoxville

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning entered college football with a lot of attention on him due to his last name and the fact that he was the No. 1 ranked recruit overall in the class of 2022, according to ESPN. After spending his first year as a backup to Quinn Ewers, during which he threw just five passes for 30 yards, the quarterback continues to hog headline inches.

Ewers was widely expected to declare for the 2024 NFL draft but surprised many by choosing to return to Austin for an extra year, prompting speculation that Manning would enter the transfer portal in search of more game time.

The Mannin situation took another turn when a college football insider account on X/Twitter revealed that the quarterback had traveled to Knoxville and met with Tennessee Volunteers coach Josh Heupel. This report has reignited speculation about Arch Manning potentially entering the transfer portal and leaving Texas.

The question of Manning's future was guaranteed to crop up during the SEC Media Days last week, and Texas coach Steve Sarkisian addressed the situation of the talented QB being a backup for a second year in a row.

"We've been fortunate to coach some pretty good quarterbacks," Sarkisian told the media. "We've been fortunate to do it for some decades now. We've been fortunate to have some really good quarterback rooms. And I think the Manning family is pretty well aware of that.

"I think they trained Arch to try to put himself in the best position to try to play in the best conference in America and then, ultimately, put himself in the best position to further his career playing in the National Football League. I think Arch's development has been important to the family and he's reaping the benefit of those things. It hasn't been very difficult at all. I think it's been pretty simple for him."

Arch Manning addresses his college football future

Arch Manning continues to command attention, and a few weeks ago, when he reversed course and opted to be included in the popular EA Sports College Football 25 video game, it was taken as a sign by fans that he is ready to fight for the QB1 spot.

At the Manning Passing Academy clinic in Louisiana, the quarterback explained to reporters why he opted to remain in Texas despite Quinn Ewers returning for his third year.

"It's tough because you want to be out there playing with your boys," Manning said. "But [it came down to] just realizing there's nowhere else I want to be, and it was my dream to play at Texas. I'm going to stick it out and play there eventually."

The speculation around Arch Manning and his future will likely continue to be a hot topic until he becomes QB1 for the team.