AUSTIN, Texas — After Texas quarterback Arch Manning used every inch of his 6-foot-4 frame to snatch a touchdown pass on a trick play from wide receiver Parker Livingstone in the first quarter of the Longhorns’ 52-37 win over Arkansas on Saturday, coach Steve Sarkisian turned around to celebrate and saw a familiar face.
“Vince Young was high-fiving me,” Sarkisian said of the legendary Longhorns quarterback. “He said, ‘Man, I wish I would’ve had that play.'”
Manning did something that not even Young, or any other Longhorns quarterback, had accomplished at Texas. Manning became the first player in school history to catch, throw and rush for a touchdown Saturday, when he accounted for six scores and passed for 389 yards.
He completed three passes that traveled more than 40 yards (had two this season coming into Saturday), and four wideouts had at least 74 receiving yards, including DeAndre Moore Jr., whose three catches all went for scores.
But even Moore was impressed by Manning’s hands on that reception, giving the signal-caller a lofty score.
“Oh, 10 out of 10,” Moore said. “I didn’t know he had that in him, man. I think he had to go back to them basketball days. He went up and caught that thing.”
Arch Manning became the first Texas quarterback to throw, catch and run for a touchdown in Saturday’s win over Arkansas. David Buono/Icon Sportswire
No. 17 Texas (8-3, 5-2 SEC) kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive with the win over the reeling Razorbacks (2-9, 0-7), who lost their ninth consecutive game. Texas’ 52 points were the second most in school history against an SEC team, behind only its 66-31 win over Ole Miss in 2012.
Saturday’s victory came after a week of noise following the Longhorns’ 35-10 loss to Georgia and after Sarkisian denied reports that he and Texas could part ways after the season or that he had interest in other jobs.
“I did not want to be a distraction, but I felt like it was becoming one,” Sarkisian said, noting that he was pleased with how his players responded.
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Manning had his third game with at least 300 passing yards in the past four weeks, coming at a crucial time as the Longhorns prepare to host No. 3 Texas A&M on Friday with one last chance to impress the playoff committee.
“The key to the drill … is control what we can control, and what we control is preparing really well for an undefeated top-five team in A&M coming in here next Friday night,” Sarkisian said. “We’ve got to prepare really well so we can go play our best football, because our best football will be needed.”
Manning’s performance is encouraging because, despite his gaudy numbers, he said he feels like he still didn’t play his best game.
“I left a lot out there,” he said. “I could have been more accurate.”
But Sarkisian said he has been wowed by Manning’s learning curve this season, beginning with the 14-7 loss to No. 1 Ohio State in the season opener when Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also threw for fewer than 200 yards against UTEP, Oklahoma and Kentucky, but he has averaged 328.5 yards over the past four outings.
“The thing that I’m probably most impressed with is his poise,” Sarkisian said. “Even going into the game, he feels different in pregame than he did two months ago. Even in the moments tonight when things broke down a little bit, he just seems so under control as he was avoiding the rush and keeping his eyes downfield. I think Arch two months ago was just dropping his head and running as fast as he could towards the line of scrimmage.”
With one final test six days away, Sarkisian will be putting a lot on Manning’s shoulders.
“He is playing at a high level,” Sarkisian said. “And he’s playing at a high level at the right time for us.”
