Texas QB Arch Manning is the presumed highest-paid college athlete. However, his head coach still thinks it isn't enough.
In the new era of college athletics, name, image and likeness (NIL) revenue can make or break a program. Texas has been one of the more notable spenders during this time, especially with quarterback Arch Manning.
According to the Athletic's Will Letich, Manning brought home around $6.8 million from his NIL contracts this past season. While that number is crazy to comprehend for most of us, is it warranted for the Longhorns leader?
Head coach Steve Sarkisian gave his answer and it may raise some eyebrows.
In a stint on On3's Andy & Ari, fellow On3 contributor Chris Low shared that Sark told him that Manning was the "most underpaid" passer in college football.
Again, this is the same Arch Manning that has a nearly $7 million value, which is more than all but 35 collegiate head coaches, according to Letich.
Granted, Sarkisian did state that he deserved more than what Texas itself is paying Manning, which remains unknown in the cloud of NIL agreements.
Although that remains a topic of debate, Manning has proven himself to be a potent offensive weapon and worth more than just his last name.
He closed his first season as a starter with around 3,000 passing yards, 500 rushing yards and 36 total touchdowns with his arm and legs. Not too shabby for a first-year kid at one of the nation's biggest programs.
He did leave room for improvement, however, as Texas missed out on its third-straight trip to the College Football Playoff after starting the season ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll.
In those losses that kept the Longhorns from competing for a national title, Manning struggled and did not look like the $7 million quarterback he was touted to be. Although those expectations could have arguably been unfair from the start.
Regardless, Manning now has a true year of experience under his belt as the signal caller for the Longhorns and is ready to get back in the saddle. He is also apparently fully healthy for the first time in over a year, leading to more expectations next season.
While debate will rage on about NIL and the role it should play in college sports, Manning has the opportunity to prove that he is worth the lucrative payday that he is receiving on the field next season.
Who knows maybe the Arch Manning that shows up will be one that everyone can agree is worth every penny, and maybe even some more.