“I’m afraid to”: Paul Finebaum takes a cheeky dig at Arch Manning fans and Texas sportswriters

There's a lot of anticipation in Austin ahead of Arch Manning's first season as the Texas Longhorns’ starting quarterback. The former five-star recruit takes over the starting role from Quinn Ewers in the 2025 college football season after spending two seasons playing backup roles.

Kirk Bohls of the Houston Chronicle and Cedric Golden of the Austin American-Statesman discussed Manning on "The Paul Finebaum Show" on Wednesday.

At one point, Bohls interrupted and threw Arch Manning into the conversation. Finebaum had a cheeky dig at that, and it sparked a conversation about the quarterback.

Bohls: We’ve been on the show for five minutes, we have not mentioned Arch Manning one time.

Finebaum: I'm afraid to. I'm afraid to.

Bohls: We are obligated to mention him.

Golden: He wasn't mentioned in our interviews this week. It was all political stuff.

Bohls: One little Arch question, but insulating him, isolating him, can't do that.

Finebaum: How good is he going to be?

Bohls: He's going to be the best.

Finebaum: The best?

Bohls: Yeah.

Golden: He's going to be the best Manning quarterback ever.

Finebaum: You've covered them all. … So, you think Arch Manning will be the best quarterback ever?

Bohls: I think it's possible.

Kirk Bohls' bold conclusion on Arch Manning, who has covered Texas since 1971, shows the level of hype around the quarterback ahead of his first season with the Longhorns. He is the betting favorite for the Heisman Trophy and is projected as the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

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CFB analyst not sold on Arch Manning hype

Without a doubt, there's massive hype around Manning ahead of his first season as a starter. However, Aaron Murray refused to be convinced by the talent of the Texas star.

The former Georgia quarterback questions his inability to claim the starting role last season.

“I am not sold like so many other people are that this guy is going to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, that he's just going to be unbelievable,” Murray said this week on SiriusXM's College Sports Channel with Dari Nowkhah.

“That he's going to be the next coming of Peyton and Eli, but that's mobile. If you are so good, and everyone has you projected as the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft come 2026, why in the hell are you not playing above a seventh-round quarterback?”

Manning showed glimpses of what he can do when he had the opportunity to play last season. He appeared in 10 games in 2024, including two starts. He finished with 939 passing yards and nine touchdowns, while also rushing for 104 yards and four touchdowns.