"He's a legitimate question": CFB insider drops fair assessment of Arch Manning & Co as Texas heads with natty aims in 2025

The Texas Longhorns appear to be one of the most stable teams in the SEC, with almost all areas covered and top talents featuring in the depth chart. With Arch Manning at center, coach Steve Sarkisian would be looking at a national championship, something that has created heartbreaks twice in the last two seasons.

Reacting to the entire roster and Sarkisian's preparation, college football insider Greg McElroy said on Tuesday that the Longhorns could be a formidable presence in the entire SEC conference. They have veterans leading from the front. Starting from the defense led by Colin Simmons, Anthony Hill and CJ Baxter, being healthy as the tailback gives Manning an edge to spread his arms even more.

One of the crucial aspects that McElroy mentioned is crucial for Texas is to avoid losing momentum in the postseason. They were a different team in the playoffs and lacked the toughness to take down opponents like Georgia.

“The guy's got talent, he's got pedigree, he's got everything he could possibly want. He is a legitimate question,” McElroy said about Arch Manning while analyzing Texas' 2025 season. [Timestamp: 2:40]

McElroy also added,

“He's never been the full time starter before, but for all of us that's been around the game, watched him enough little bit of action he got last year, especially as the season went along, showcasing the mobility the downfield, growing and supporting cast, he's going to be in a really good spot to be successful in here. One, they have outstanding running back depth.

“Trey Weisner, last year, burst onto the scene with 1000 yards in 2024 but now CJ Baxter is back healthy. You got Jared Gibson in there as well. So you have depth at running back, which is really encouraging. You also absolutely have to love their entire defense from a star power standpoint.”

Arch Manning and Co. will have a tough schedule in 2025

One of the significant challenges for Arch Manning and the team would be their road games against high-profile teams like Ohio State and in-league rivals. They will be traveling almost 10,000 miles throughout the season. Being on the road and facing top programs at their den becomes super daunting and challenging to win games.

They will open the season with a blockbuster matchup against Ohio State, followed by road games at Florida in Week 5 and Georgia in Week 10. Manning enters the season with expectations of leading Texas to a double-digit win and a push for the national championship.