When the Buckeyes break you: Did Ohio State break Arch Manning and Texas?
The Heisman front-runner and preseason No. 1 team haven't been the same since a Week 1 loss to Ohio State
COLUMBUS — Texas beat Kentucky 16-13 in overtime last Saturday. In the victory, the Longhorns picked up just eight first downs while the Wildcats had 26.
Texas totaled 179 yards of offense (averaging 3.3 yards per play) while quarterback Arch Manning was 12-of-27 passing for 132 yards. Texas kicked a go-ahead field goal with 57 seconds left, but Manning’s failure to convert a third-and-1 run forced the kick early, which gave Kentucky enough time to drive for a tying field goal.
In overtime, the Texas defense stopped two Kentucky goal line plunges before the Texas offense went backwards on its possession, forcing the Longhorns to kick a 45-yard field goal for the win.
And that’s how the preseason No. 1 team in the nation and the preseason Heisman Trophy front-runner moved to 5-2 on the season.
Among the questions asked of Texas coach Steve Sarkisian after the win — whether he considered changing quarterbacks during the game.
“No, I did not,” he said.
But that’s where we are.
In the weeks after the Longhorns’ 14-7 Week 1 loss to Ohio State, there was speculation that Manning was hurt. He was grimacing on some throws (turns out he kind of always looks that way when throwing), but his performance at times also made it look like something wrong. Now this. Sarkisian certainly wasn’t going to rip his quarterback, but among the litany of issues he listed for the offense in that Kentucky performance, he did say, “We miss open throws.”
Manning is completing 60 percent of his passes, which is tied for 63rd among 74 power conference quarterbacks. He has 10 turnover-worthy plays, which is the 10th-most among P4 quarterbacks. (Julian Sayin, in comparison, has three.)
It’s not the level of play that anyone expected. Not only is Manning not great, he’s not even particularly good. In moments, he flashes, but there’s no consistency. The TV broadcast was dumbfounded by a Manning miss Saturday when tight end Jack Endries was open by 10 yards.
“I don’t really understand it,” analyst Brock Osweiler said.
So if nothing is wrong physically with Manning, is it something else?
Perhaps … did Ohio State break Manning, and along with him, the Texas Longhorns?
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