AUSTIN, Texas — Arch Manning went to Vince Young and Colt McCoy over the summer with questions about building chemistry with his teammates and about becoming a better quarterback, Young said Tuesday on The Paul Finebaum Show.
Young’s appearance came four days before the Texas Longhorns host top-ranked Ohio State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas moved up one spot to No. 4 in the first regular-season AP Top 25, released Tuesday, and sits at No. 3 in the US LBM Coaches Poll.
Vince Young Says Arch Manning Has Taken Ownership As A Leader
Young said Texas coach Steve Sarkisian will keep developing Manning, and he pointed to the final eight games of the 2025 season and the start of this one.
“You got a guy like Arch, first of all, that’s a leader right now,” Young said. “He’s taken over. He’s been there for a while now. He understands how to be a quarterback at Texas. He’s not forcing things. You can just see from the game from last week that he is just taking ownership of being a leader.”
“From myself and Colt McCoy asking those questions during the summertime, how to build chemistry with his teammates, how to be a better quarterback, you just see that he wants to be a better person and a better quarterback, which I like,” Young continued. “He already has the tangible tools. He’s got the right people in his ear. He’s just got to continue to have fun.”
Saturday afternoon in Austin, Texas beat Texas State 59-7 in its opener. Manning completed 20-of-27 passes for 305 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception before leaving in the third quarter with Texas ahead 42-7.
Manning threw for 3,163 yards with 26 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 2025, his first full season as the starter. Texas finished 10-3 and missed the College Football Playoff, then beat Michigan 41-27 in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31. Manning completed 21-of-34 passes for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns in that game and carried 9 times for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Young has been in contact with Manning since the spring. Speaking to Chron in April at the 6th Annual Brothers in Arms Celebrity Golf Tournament, Young said he planned to remain available to Manning into the summer and fall.
Young led Texas to the 2005 national title and beat USC in the Rose Bowl in January 2006. Tennessee drafted him third overall in 2006, and he won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year that season and made two Pro Bowls. He entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019. McCoy started at Texas from 2006 through 2009, went to Cleveland in the third round in 2010, and spent 13 seasons in the NFL.
Arch Manning And Julian Sayin Meet Again With Texas Hosting Ohio State
Julian Sayin was in the same position a year ago, Young said, taking over as a first-time starter the same season Manning did.
“He’s got to continue to have fun and know that, yes, you finna go up against a really talented team,” Young explained. “And Julian Sayin was the same kid. Both of them was young last year. And they both have been playmakers for their team. And I’m happy to see both of them being successful right now.”
Sayin made his first college start against Texas on Aug. 30, 2025, in Columbus, and Ohio State won 14-7. Manning threw for 170 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception in that game. Sayin threw for 126 yards and 1 touchdown.
Sayin threw for 3,610 yards with 32 touchdowns and 8 interceptions last season and completed 77.0% of his passes, a single-season Ohio State record. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist and won the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year award. Against Ball State on Saturday, in a 56-3 Ohio State win, Sayin completed 21-of-25 passes for 320 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The two quarterbacks worked the Manning Passing Academy together in June.
Ohio State leads the series 3-2 and has won the past two meetings, 14-7 in Columbus in last season’s opener and 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl semifinal in January 2025. Saturday will be the first Ohio State game in Austin since 2006.
Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC. ESPN’s College GameDay broadcasts from the Texas campus from 8 to 11 a.m. CT. Texas is 1-0 and opens SEC play Sept. 26 at Tennessee.
