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NEW ORLEANS — It’s a rare sight for a freshman backup quarterback with only five pass attempts on the season to receive arguably as much as attention as any other player — or even the head coach — during a College Football Playoff semifinal media day. It might even be unprecedented, but such is, and has been, the case for Arch Manning.
To hear him tell it, all Manning really wants to do is be a part of the team and spend time with “the fellas.” But from the moment he lost his student ID in the opening weeks of his time on campus in Austin, Texas, Manning knows the spotlight will be a little different for him than the average backup quarterback.
As No. 3 Texas prepares to face No. 2 Washington on Monday night in the Sugar Bowl semifinal, Manning is taking on more responsibility than he had most of the season. When backup Maalik Murphy — who started two games this season for an injured Quinn Ewers — decided to transfer, it thrust Manning into the next-man-up position. While that was a role he had already assumed during Ewers’ time out of the lineup, Manning acknowledged the stakes are a little bit different.
“I think I’ve gotten better every week,” Manning told CBS Sports. “This week is a little different because of all the time off, and there is a lot on the line, but it’s just another game.”
Manning has had some time to consider what’s at stake now that Murphy’s transferred out of the program and committed to Duke. He was questioned about whether he also would want to transfer if Ewers decided to bypass the 2024 NFL Draft and return to Texas next season, and he quickly reaffirmed his commitment to the Longhorns program.
“I wish the best for Maalik,” Manning said. “We got to be really close. I know he’s going to do good…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/arch-manning-takes-pro-like-approach-as-texas-qb-steps-into-crucial-backup-role-for-college-football-playoff/
Author : Chip Patterson
Publish date : 2023-12-30 18:47:23
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