Last season, college football couldn't stop talking about one name: Arch Manning. After years waiting behind Quinn Ewers, the Texas quarterback finally got his shot to lead Steve Sarkisian's offense. But the buildup was so intense that even his legendary grandfather, Archie Manning, felt things went too far.

“I was kind of disappointed in a lot of, just a lot of people,” Archie told KXAN. “They kind of crowned Arch before he ever played. And I just didn’t think that was fair.”

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That coronation came crashing down early. A rough outing against Ohio State and a few other shaky moments had critics wondering if the hype was all smoke. But Arch didn't fold. He bounced back, finishing strong down the stretch and nearly pushing the Longhorns into the College Football Playoff.

“I’ve never been more proud of anybody in my life with the way Arch battled through what he had to go through last year, and the way he played, you know, the last eight or nine games of the season,” Archie added.

Arch's numbers tell the story: 3,163 passing yards, nearly 400 rushing yards, 36 total touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Those are Heisman-worthy stats, and they've got him near the top of the 2026 Heisman odds. But if he wants to be the first pick in the NFL Draft, he'll need to take his game up another notch and lead Texas to more wins.

Some analysts still wonder if Arch's potential is outpacing his actual performance. And with Sarkisian floating the idea of Arch skipping the 2027 NFL Draft, the pressure isn't letting up.

Texas opens the season with a tune-up against Texas State on Sept. 5 before a rematch with Ohio State in Austin the following week, broadcast on ABC in primetime. That game will be a huge test for Arch and the Longhorns.

For Archie, the hype was always a double-edged sword. He saw the weight his grandson carried and wishes the world had let him prove himself before placing the crown on his head. But through it all, he's just proud of the way Arch handled it.

“I don’t think that was fair,” Archie said. And he’s not wrong.