Manning is poised to take his likeable personality into a high-stakes season for No. 5-ranked Texas.
Arch Manning's trash-talking has been a fun anecdote about the Texas Longhorns' fall camp.
The fourth-year senior quarterback has a lot going for him. He's among the most recognizable names in college football, coming off a strong end-of-season surge on the field, and is the captain of the No. 5 team in the country entering Week 1.
Those are mighty expectations, but nothing that a quarterback with the last name Manning hasn't dealt with before on the national stage.
And about that trash talk? Arch laughs that it comes easy to him when his teammates know they can't touch him in practice.
"That helps a lot," said Manning, who explained how the habit, described by teammates as "annoying", first started with basketball battles between his father and brother growing up.
"They don't get to hit me during practice, so I can kinda say whatever I want."
"It's funny because he's my quarterback and I've been teammates with him for the past two, three years, so it's like, I don't know, it's fun," said edge rusher Colin Simmons, the recipient of his fair share of smack.
"He's good [at trash talk], but it's just funny hearing it from him."
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Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian will lean on Manning's verbal connection to his teammates throughout this season, and the second-year starter has taken ownership of that leadership responsibility. He added that several teammates have, as well.
"The cool thing this year is we have a lot of leaders," Manning said. "You don't have to rely just on yourself - we got [running back] Hollywood [Smothers], we got [offensive linemen] Connor Robertson, [Trevor] Goosby, Brandon Baker. Bunch of guys who stepped up in leadership roles. It's been fun."
That experienced offensive line and dynamic rushing duo of Smothers and Raleek Brown will make Manning's job conducting the offense easier this season. He also has one of the game's best receivers in Auburn transfer Cam Coleman as a safety blanket and a leader among the pass-catchers.
"Cam, just the way he works and him as a person, has helped the other receivers - and they're all close. The way he attacks everyday has definitely motivated the rest of the receivers. It's been a fun time since he's been here."
The team's connectedness has been what has stood out to Manning and helped make this fall camp period a successful one going into the season.
"We're a really close team," he said. "Obviously, some days are better than others, but I feel like we've responded and been up to the challenge every day."
Manning said part of his personal maturity - in masking the outside noise that comes with being who he is - is reminding himself that he needs to be just that: himself.
"There's a lot of noise, and trying to be aware of everything and not let stuff get to my head and just continue to be me," he said.
And as much as he "talks" during practice, Arch assures that his trash-talking tendencies aren't meant to be one of those challenges to his teammates.
But then again, maybe they are.
"I feel like I'm just a normal guy, trying to have fun," Manning said.
