Arch Manning was booed by his own supporters at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium during Texas Longhorns' unconvincing 27-10 victory over UTEP, with the quarterback admitting he must play better. The 21-year-old, who began the season as an early Heisman Trophy favourite and leader of the nation's top-ranked team, has struggled since a season-opening road loss at Ohio State that triggered widespread criticism.
Manning completed just 11 of 25 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown against the Miners, including a run of 10 consecutive incompletions in the second quarter and an end-zone interception. Through the first three games, his completion rate stands at only 55 per cent, raising concerns among Texas fans about the upcoming SEC schedule and the Longhorns' title credentials.
"I've got to play better," Manning said after the match. "A lot of quarterbacks, a lot of players, want to be great. I know I'm better than this." He added: "All my life I've been an accurate passer. I've just got to get back to it."
Coach Steve Sarkisian called for patience, saying: "I feel like we've done enough with him to have a pretty good understanding of who he is as a player and what he's capable of. I know there's a lot of football in him that's high-level football. Our job as coaches is to work him towards that. We've righted the ship before, we'll get there."
Teammates remain supportive, with offensive lineman Trevor Goosby saying: "He's still a great quarterback. I tell him that every day." Manning, the latest in America's most famous football family, was one of the top recruits in the country and waited two seasons behind Quinn Ewers before taking over, but his early performances have fallen short of heightened expectations.
