NEED TO KNOW
- Archie Manning releases a statement that is kind but also a long sigh.
- Texas keeps losing and everyone is pretending it is fine.
- Arch Manning is now exploring sports that involve standing still.
Fans of the Manning dynasty were stunned on Sunday when Archie Manning issued a polite but firm family statement after Texas suffered another painful loss. The message praised his grandson Arch as a wonderful young man, then immediately suggested he might be better suited for a sport where linebackers cannot legally remove his soul through his rib cage.
Arch has struggled this season as Texas fell from preseason number one to a team that now needs a complex math miracle to reach the playoff. Supporters hoped he would show flashes of the Manning gene. Instead, he showed flashes of the Manning wince, usually right before the ball flew out of his hand without a clear plan.
Texas Searches For Answers
Texas fans are trying to stay positive. Many claim everything can still happen, although nothing supports that idea. Coaches said the team ran the ball well despite having only twenty three rushing yards. Players tried to explain the lack of offense by pointing to the need for more time, more confidence, and possibly federal assistance.
Arch has shown effort every week. That effort has included running for his life, getting hit by athletes with futures in the NFL, and completing a pass now and then. His receivers have not helped. Several passes bounced off hands and helmets. One was intercepted by a defender who shrugged before jogging into the end zone.
Archie Finally Steps In
Archie Manning is known for handling family matters with grace. Yet observers noticed that this time he looked tired. He said Arch is still a great kid who works hard. He then added that baseball is a nice sport with a long history and a lower chance of catastrophic trauma. According to a source, he also mentioned golf, bowling, and chess with the seriousness of a man who has seen enough.
Texas still claims that all goals remain possible. This belief grows weaker each week. The team must now win out and hope several top teams lose. Even then the chances remain small. Fans will keep watching because that is what fans do, but many are already drafting emotional exit plans for the season.
One thing remains clear. The pressure on Arch continues to rise. The family wants him to succeed. The fans want him to succeed. The program needs him to succeed. For now the only thing he has mastered is the Manning family grimace.
Football teaches many lessons. Arch is learning all of them at once, which seems to be just a bit excessive.
