The Longhorns quarterback has received a positive update following his off-season foot surgery.
An update on Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning's off-season foot surgery reveals that he is out of a walking boot and has begun throwing again, says ESPN's Heather Dinich.
"He had a lingering thing that he'd been dealing with over a couple of years that we just wanted to clean up," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said this week about the need for a procedure.
"It wasn't a serious issue at all. It takes time. You do a procedure on a foot, we're going to be cautious to make sure he's 100% healthy before he goes."
Manning is coming off his first year as the Longhorns starting quarterback, where he threw for 3,163 yards and 26 touchdowns while also rushing for 10 scores.
Though his slow start at the beginning of the season wiped away preseason Heisman candidacy and plummeted the preseason No. 1 Longhorns, Arch put together a strong second-half surge that allowed the Longhorns to finish inside the top 15 in the year-end standings.
Now moving into next season, Sarkisian and the Longhorns landed one of the most coveted offensive prospects in this year's transfer portal cycle in explosive former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman.
"Arch is a worker. When he’s cleared and ready to go, he’ll get plenty of time with Cam," Sarkisian told KXAN Sports. "The key for him is when we get into it, he’ll get be throwing routes on air and on 7-on-7s, but we’ll have plenty of time."
Manning will want to get comfortable with his new target ... but patience remains the name of the game this spring.
Dinich reports that Manning will be "limited, especially early on" once the Longhorns begin working out. Sarkisian isn't worried, saying the absence will allow backups and younger players, such incoming 5-star freshman QB Dia Bell, a chance to get more practice time.
"It’s important for us, from a developmental standpoint with KJ [Lacey] and Dia, what a great opportunity for those guys," Sarkisian said. "For us, thinking long term, into this fall and future falls, it’s a great opportunity for them to build that, to go along with MJ [Morris]."
Manning's impressive performance in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, a resounding win over Michigan, has put the preseason hype back near the level it was a year ago. A 60-yard rushing touchdown from the Louisiana native was the cherry on top of a 41-27 victory for the Longhorns.
Texas will be considered as top-five team entering next season, and Manning again sees himself as a favorite for the Heisman Trophy.
Manning made it official that he would return to the Forty Acres for his redshirt junior season shortly after the bowl game win, as many expected he would. Sarkisian remains excited to see how his signal-caller will continue to mature with next season determining his future at the professional ranks.
"He's a young man who's gotten better as the season's gone on, and not only physically, but mentally, maturity wise," Sarkisian told reporters before the Citrus Bowl.
Said Sark this week: "Having a year under his belt and us struggling as a team kind of offensively the first half of the season, and him going through the growing pains in the end, it was a good thing [for Manning]. I think he gained a lot of confidence in the second half of the season, and I think we learned about him, he learned his style of play, and he came back with a really good mindset.
"This is his team. ... In the end, naturally, he wants to go win a championship. The rest of the things will fall into place, but that's where his mindset is. He's the ultimate team player, and it shows every day."
As it relates to Manning's recovery status, Sarkisian furthered his belief in his highly-touted quarterback, who will likely garner top NFL Draft consideration with a solid 2026 campaign.
"He'll get work done, but I'm not as concerned about that," Sarkisian said, "especially now more than ever we get more time with the players in the summer."