Texas still hasn’t made a decision on their starting quarterback for Saturday’s game, but if Arch Manning gets the call, Louisiana-Monroe doesn’t feel too concerned.
Quinn Ewers went down with an abdominal strain in last week’s win over UTSA, which included a standout relief outing from Manning in which he threw for four touchdowns and ran for a 67-yard score.
Nevertheless, if it is Manning making his first-ever start against UL-Monroe, the Warhawks aren’t too worried.
Defensive coordinator Earnest Hill said Wednesday a number of his players have experience facing Manning during their high school days.
Manning notably attended the Isidore Newman School in New Orleans before coming to the Longhorns.
“We actually have some kids on our team who played against him in New Orleans, and a couple guys done beat him already,” Hill told reporters earlier this week. So, they don’t hold too much fear against him. So, they’re not going to hold any fear against him coming up here.”
In relief of the injured Ewers, Manning threw for 223 yards in what was his longest look in college thus far.
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian opened up this week about his belief in the nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning, saying he has a good “understanding” of the system.”
“Arch has got a really good understanding of what we’re trying to do,” Sarkisian said. “Even though we’re putting in a new game plan, I think he understands the premise of the plays that we have in our system. And then, yes, we’re dressing them up certain ways and different things, but I think he has a good firm understanding of the premise of those plays. And so when he gets in, he can operate them to a high level.”
UL-Monroe, which has started the year 2-0, ranks third in the Sun Belt in scoring defense, yielding just 10 points per contest thus far.
Facing No. 1 Texas, though, will present a whole host of other challenges.