"He's better than (Quinn) Ewers" - Rich Eisen drops eye-catching remark on Arch Manning as debate about Texas's starting QB intensifies

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning has received plenty of backing to start over QB1, Quinn Ewers during their two-year shared Texas careers. The latest calls came after the Longhorns lost Saturday's Southeastern Conference championship game 22-19 in overtime to the Georgia Bulldogs on the back of a lackluster performance by Ewers while Manning only played two snaps in the game.

During Monday's segment of the "Rich Eisen Show," analyst Rich Eisen was conflicted about the Longhorns starting Manning over the NFL-bound Ewers but he also made an eye-catching remark about the two quarterback's abilities.

"Not start him, but play him more," Eisen said. "Two quarterbacks, you have none? Get out of here. They're not gonna do it. Like that's how you start Arch Manning. That's how you tell Ewers not today, not anymore. That would be sick, what a way for that Manning career to be born. He's better than Ewers right? Ewers isn't moving around well. [30:30]

"The thing about Arch Manning that is jarring to me is how physical and fast he is. They're using him as a kind of change of pace that when he's in the game he's gonna run it weapon. I think it's to their benefit to let him play a little bit more. But to start him and say no Ewers only Arch? Once you start him, you start him for the next two years. That's really cold-hearted, that's beyond cold-hearted."

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Georgia loss blamed on Arch Manning not playing

During Sunday's segment of ESPN's "Sports Center," NFL analyst Louis Riddick was critical of Quinn Ewer's performance against coach Kirby Smart's Georgia Bulldogs and was insistent that Arch Manning would have made a difference in the narrow loss.

"I don't wanna put this all on Ewers but there were many opportunities where they had the perfect play designed, and perfect route concept drawn up and he just couldn't get the ball to where it needed to get to, or he made some late decisions, didn't have enough zip on the football and just wasn't able to make the timely throws when he needed to the most," Riddick said.

"And I even tweeted during the game, why don't they put Arch Manning here at least for a series or so and kind of like give this defense front from Georgia kinda like something else to think about," Riddick said. "Because Quinn is not the run threat at all."

Texas was named the No. 5 seed in the college football playoffs with a game against ACC champions, the No. 12 Clemson Tigers who beat the SMU Mustangs for a CFP berth. Coach Steve Sarkisian will be forced to choose which quarterback he fancies to help the Longhorns achieve their goals.