Why is Arch Manning so popular? Exploring reasons behind Texas QB’s fame

Arch Manning served as a backup quarterback for the Texas Longhorns in his freshman season. Despite his limited game time in 2023, the teenager is arguably one of the most popular faces in NCAA Football today.

He was popular before even stepping onto the gridiron. Arch hails from one of the most iconic families in football, the Manning family. While his father, Cooper Manning could not play in the NFL due to spinal stenosis, his uncles Peyton and Eli are arguably two of the greatest ever players in history, both winning the Super Bowl twice.

His grandfather Archie Manning also won the Pro Bowl twice in succession, making him the third generation of the family.

Arch Manning became famous before even picking up a football for the first time.

Arch Manning thrived in high school before signing for the Texas Longhorns

Like his uncles and his grandfather, Arch also excelled at Isidore Newman School, starting as their quarterback in all four years.

He finished with a 34-9 record while compiling 8,559 passing yards and 115 touchdowns to 20 interceptions. He also broke the school's records for passing yards and passing touchdowns which were previously held by Peyton (7,268) and Eli (93) respectively.

His exploits on the field made him the No. 2 high school prospect and the top-ranked quarterback in the country. Several schools chased him after recognizing his potential matched his rich family heritage. In December 2022, Arch signed a letter of intent with the Texas Longhorns.

However, he played just two games for the Longhorns in his freshman season. He completed 2-of-5 passes for 30 yards in a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders while taking the final snaps in the Longhorns' Big 12 Championship Game win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

While his reputation preceded him, there was no surprise with his limited game time in 2023, given that the immensely talented Quinn Ewers was the Longhorns' starting QB. Ewers was a Davey O'Brien Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award semifinalist last year after completing 272-of-394 passes and recording the fifth-most passing yards in a single season in program history (3,479).

Despite his limited game time, Arch Manning received a rating of 87 in EA College Football 25 after opting into the game. This makes him the joint-19th highest-ranked QB in the game. While he may continue to serve as Ewers' deputy in 2024, he could get more action in his sophomore season.

This could be a make-or-break season for Arch, who will be keen to bring the third generation of the Manning family into the NFL in the future.