"He's playing like a pedestrian QB": Paul Finebaum unleashes blunt Arch Manning assesment despite Texas' big win over SJSU

Arch Manning’s start to the 2025 season as QB1 for Texas hasn't been a rewarding one, contrary to what was projected in the preseason, where he was viewed as the Heisman frontrunner and best QB in this year's class. The Longhorns kick-started their season with a blockbuster matchup against Ohio State, which ended in a disappointing loss.

Later in the following week, Steve Sarkisian and Co. squared off against SJSU and finally secured their first-ever win of the season. Despite a 38-7 victory, college football insiders like Stephen A. Smith and Paul Finebaum aren't satisfied. In fact, Finebaum has already jumped ship and has put an end to the Manning hype train.

On ESPN's First Take on Tuesday, Finebaum shared his latest analysis on the Texas QB. He called out the youngster’s inaccurate throws and inability to create a massive lead by the end of the game.

“I have been leading the parade on Arch Manning. We all know that I'm backing up a little bit," Finebaum said (Timestamp: 4:00). "I am not that impressed with him with what happened last week, and the bottom line is, Arch Manning is not playing like an elite quarterback. He's barely playing like a pedestrian quarterback."

“He had some good plays in that game, but that game doesn't mean anything, and he's not going to really get a chance for a couple of weeks," Finebaum said. "But ultimately, I think we all jumped the gun. Is he in the Heisman race? Arch Manning is not in the Heisman race as of today."

Urban Meyer points out the critical mistakes of Arch Manning

After the Week 2 game, former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer analyzed the tape and shared his first reaction to Arch Manning's gameplay on the Triple Option podcast.

The 61-year-old coach mentioned that the Texas QB struggled a lot in terms of accuracy. He could not make crisp throws and find wide-open receivers.

However, he added that Manning possesses great arm strength and is athletically gifted. He was able to use these aspects to his advantage while making plays in the opponent’s territory.

Meyer also said that he will have proved himself with similar gameplay against tough opponents in the latter part of the season. This upcoming weekend, coach Sarkisian and Co. will face UTEP at home.