An Arch Manning & Longhorns Divorce? Experts Suggest QB Should Leave Texas

I was right about Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns. And never more wrong.

Before the season I predicted - in writing, no less - that Austin's big-name QB would win the Heisman Trophy on the way to leading the ’Horns to the National Championship.

Gulp.

But … they have at least made history.

With consecutive come-from-ahead defeats to Oklahoma and Florida the last two weeks, Texas became the first team in college football since 1961 to be ranked No. 1 and then lose back-to-back games to unranked opponents.

So there. Coach Steve Sarkisian’s team is re-writing the record book after all. But is it also now doing the unthinkable: Benching Arch?

Manning has been underwhelming to say the least. In six games he’s thrown five interceptions and taken 17 sacks. The arm strength? The accuracy? The athleticism? No, no and more no.

The blue-chip prospect with the 10-star pedigree has played like a downright pedestrian.

Arch obviously isn’t the Longhorns’ sole problem. But neither has he been - as advertised - their savior of a solution. The beleaguered "Coach Sark'' says Manning will start Saturday night’s home game against Ole Miss, but …

“I need to see a better version of Arch Manning.”

Ouch.

Instead of debating his lofty Heisman chances, entering Week 8 national analysts are suddenly predicting Manning’s departure from Austin.

Said ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky on Twitter last week, “Arch should definitely go back to school and definitely not at Texas.”

CBS’ Pete Prisco echoed that sentiment, pointing more fingers at supposed quarterback whisperer Sarkisian for Arch’s lack of development.

“I don’t think he should go back to Texas if Sark is the coach,” Prisco said. “I think he needs to go somewhere else and find out what it’s like in a different system to be able to play. If he goes somewhere else, and he’s really good, then we know there was a major problem with the Texas system.”

Could Arch Manning really nosedive from Heisman to has-been ... to another program via a Longhorns divorce?