Texas quarterback Arch Manning used last weekend’s Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, Louisiana, to put an early stamp on his first year as the Longhorns’ starter. The 20-year-old, who threw for 939 yards and nine touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in relief of Quinn Ewers last season, impressed coaches with what uncle Peyton Manning described as “throwing the ball really well” during camp drills. Manning said he has leaned on actor and Texas booster Matthew McConaughey for guidance on handling the glare, recalling the Oscar winner’s advice to “live your life” despite constant attention. The performance has intensified a national debate over Manning’s ceiling. On ESPN’s “Get Up” Monday, college-football commentator Paul Finebaum called him “the best college quarterback we have seen since Tim Tebow entered the scene in 2006.” Former ESPN host Trey Wingo and several draft analysts immediately pushed back, arguing Manning’s limited game snaps make such comparisons premature. Hype around Manning extends beyond the field. Recruiting service On3 values his name-image-likeness rights at $6.8 million, the highest figure for any college athlete this year. Yet while 11 of the 17 five-star quarterbacks signed between 2020 and 2023 have transferred, Manning has remained in Austin, a decision his father Cooper attributes to his son’s patience and comfort with the program. Head coach Steve Sarkisian has challenged the sophomore to assert himself as a leader ahead of Texas’s bid for a third consecutive College Football Playoff appearance. With preseason camps opening later this month, the next look at one of college football’s most scrutinized arms will come when the Longhorns reconvene in Austin.