Texas football has ‘concepts of a plan’ to balance Arch Manning, Quinn Ewers. Will it hold?

We know the old Yiddish proverb: “Man plans, God laughs ... especially when a Manning is the backup quarterback.”

The last time a Manning was the backup was 2004, when Eli was a rookie with the New York Giants behind Kurt Warner. Eli was named the starter in the middle of that season.

Twenty years later, nephew Arch is expected to come off the bench to start in place of the usual starting quarterback (FYI: the Giants benched Warner because they wanted to start the clock on developing Eli).

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian knew the noise and interest level in Arch Manning was going to be “bad,” but there is no way he could have prepared for this, because this “QB controversy” has no precedent.

On Wednesday, during the SEC Coaches’ conference call, Sark was asked if the “noise and attention” surrounding these quarterbacks is what he anticipated.

“I have absolutely no idea. I don’t pay any attention to it. We focus on what we do,” Sarkisian said, which means he doesn’t own a TV, phone, tablet or even a newspaper (what are those?). “I try my best, and our team and organization regardless of the topic, not to get motivated by external factors, or to ride the emotional roller coaster of ‘We’re the best team ever. He’s the best player ever,’ or, ‘The worst ever.’ Because, generally, there is few times when you are somewhere in between.”

He’s not wrong.

The only way Sark’ can win on this is if his team does not lose, and his QB1 is perfect. This is one of those delectable distractions that only 199.99 percent of football coaches desire.

At least according to the people around Texas QB1 Quinn Ewers, the plan has always been for the young man from Southlake to play this season, with Arch as the backup. Ewers would then declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, where some “experts” have him rated as a potential No. 1 overall pick.

Arch then becomes the man in Austin, and he follows the path set by his grandfather and uncles to Canton.

Sark’s “concept of a plan” will be challenged on Saturday should Arch start on when No. 1 Texas hosts Louisiana-Monroe. Texas AD Chris Del Conte should tip UL Monroe 25% for agreeing to play this waste-of-time “game.”

Or, at least provide the Warhawks players and coaches signed Arch Manning footballs, T-shirts and ball caps.

In UT’s 56-7 win at home against UTSA on Sept. 14, Ewers suffered an abdominal strain that was not caused by contact. He sustained the injury on a deep pass in the second quarter, and he is currently listed as “questionable.”

Sarkisian has not announced a starting QB for Saturday’s game. He also did not give an injury update on any player.

“(Arch) has done a really good job with all the reps he’s getting,” Sarkisian said, while ducking if Manning was getting first-team reps. “Even though we are putting in a new game plan he understands the the premise of those plays.”

If Ewers’ injury is remotely serious, the prevailing thought is he will not play the next two games, against ULM and Mississippi State; he would return for the game on Oct. 12, against Oklahoma.

At least that’s the “concept of a plan.”

The only aspect to what will be a boring night of college football in Austin is watching Arch tear it up, and then listening to Sark’ defend his plan to put football royalty on the bench when Quinn can return.

There is no way Sark can deviate from the plan, even if he should.

This is not like the Major Applewhite/Chris Simms situation that ripped a hole in the Texas fan base under then coach Mack Brown in the first few years of this century. Up and down Sixth Street & Congress, on this non-issue issue there is only unity, harmony and a lot of weed.

Both Ewers and Manning, and their coaches, have said all of the right sentences and paragraphs. Like every quarterback situation in the history of the NCAA, NAIA, NFL, AFL, CFL, USFL, XFL, UFL and Pop Warner, there is “no controversy here.”

Like every quarterback “situation” before the current one in Austin, all parties are magically “on the same page.”

We have seen plenty of great quarterbacks before Arch. We have never seen a backup quarterback like Arch. This why people have thrown brains in the toilet when it comes to the Texas QB room.

Watching Arch play in the second half of UT’s win over UTSA was not like watching his uncles kill it when they were at Tennessee and Ole Miss, respectively. Arch looked like his grandfather when Archie played for the Ole Miss Rebels, and the New Orleans Saints.

Arch looks as if he inherited the “superior athlete” gene that didn’t quite all the way kiss Peyton and Eli. Do not believe anyone who says those two were not great athletes, but they weren’t their dad.

When Arch replaced Ewers, ESPN ran what amounted to an “Arch Ticker.” This is akin to the media that comes to the U.S. from Japan to monitor one particular baseball player, L.A. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.

Arch asked for none of this, but if any family could have adequately prepared for what was coming when he came to Austin, it’s this one.

Ewers asked for none of this, and nothing he has done says he should be anything other than the starting quarterback at Texas.

Sark is the one who asked for it, and he’s the one lucky enough to live it. He has always “had a plan.” Saturday will be the first time this plan is tested; the only way on this for him to win is if his team doesn’t lose, and his QB1 is perfect.

Either way, we know God will be watching. We’re talking about Arch Manning.