Texas Longhorns star quarterback Arch Manning delivered a commanding performance in a 55-0 victory over Sam Houston State, with a standout touchdown run that included a trash talk moment with the Bearkats defender. The incident, involving a brief skirmish, highlighted Manning’s competitive spirit and the coach’s confidence in his return to form.
Manning’s performance was marked by a display of swagger, as he ended a nine-play, 60-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds left in the first quarter. As he got into the end zone, spun off a Bearkats defender and proceeded to talk trash while standing over him. There was a brief skirmish before the players went back to their sidelines.
Needless to say, Manning was fired up. ‘He got his swagger back,’ Texas senior safety Michael Taaffe told reporters after the game. ‘Everybody knew that it was in there. What he showed tonight is what we expect.’
Manning said he was worried he would have gotten a taunting penalty after the move. ‘Probably a little much there. My mom was pretty mad about it,’ Manning said. ‘I think it was some built up frustration for the past few weeks.’
Manning looked totally different compared to the first three weeks of the season. He struggled against San Jose State and UTEP in the last two weeks but he looked comfortable against Sam Houston State.
‘When he plays a little looser and he’s free, that’s the best version of Arch,’ Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkis than said. ‘He got going and started throwing the ball. Started using his legs. You could feel the bounce in his step on the field.’
On Sunday, Texas dropped to No. 10 in The Associated Press top 25 poll. The Longhorns are 3-1 on the season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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