Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is sticking with Arch Manning as his starting quarterback ahead of Saturday’s showdown with seventh-ranked Ole Miss, but he acknowledged the leash on the former five-star could be shortened this season.

“Arch can play better for us; he’s our starter, but I need to see a better version of Arch Manning,” Sarkisian said Monday. “Like I need to see a better version of a lot of guys on our offensive football team right now. We need to see a better version of him this week.”

After previous reports of backup KJ Lacey seeing an “uptick” in first-team reps in practice this week after Manning’s struggles over the weekend against Florida, Sarkisian said Lacey takes first-team reps every week.

Sarkisian said after Saturday’s 27-24 loss to the Gators that “everything” would be evaluated throughout his program following the Longhorns’ recent two-game skid that torched their top-10 ranking.

This comes after Sarkisian defended Manning after his two-interception, fourth-quarter performance during a loss to Oklahoma this month and said his quarterback always receives unfair criticism.

The tune has changed a bit after Manning lost his first career home game over the weekend thanks to a costly late-game fumble.

“I just felt like we didn’t play good offensive football, and we’re not playing great offensive football right now,” Sarkisian said.

Manning has regressed this season from a consistency standpoint when compared to the final six starts of the 2025 campaign, his first as a starter. Manning has thrown for 1,295 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions this season, four of those giveaways coming against Power Four competition.

The attention to Manning seems to have played a part in the Longhorns’ lack of cohesion offensively, from execution to play-calling from Sarkisian. Texas ranks 12th in the SEC in total offense after seven games, 13th in rushing offense and 15th in explosive plays — stunning numbers when you consider the overall talent on the Longhorns’ roster.

He hasn’t been on the same page with his receivers and several times last time out left passes short of his intended targets and was nearly picked off, including a long ball to Cam Coleman.

Sarkisian put the blame on his quarterback following the late-game fumble.

“I think on that play, our protection might’ve been OK,” Sarkisian said. “I think [Manning] might have been a little quick to kind of drop his eyes. He had Emmett Mosley, who’s the primary [receiver]. We thought the ball could have got out.”

Manning’s response to his coach’s evaluation remarks was swift and honest.

“Yeah, I mean everyone’s evaluated every week. That’s how it is when you go to a school like this with elite players. Everyone’s gotta get better, and that starts with me,” he said after Saturday’s loss.

Who is K.J. Lacey?

A 2025 signee for the Longhorns, Lacey was one of two quarterbacks Sarkisian offered during that recruiting cycle — the other was Bryce Underwood (Michigan). An Alabama native, Lacey won a 6A state title at Saraland as a four-star prospect and has made three career appearances over his first two seasons with the Longhorns.

Lacey is the No. 2 passer in Alabama prep football history with 10,985 yards. He completed five of his seven attempts for 55 yards in the season opener against Texas State and went 1-for-1 for 8 yards earlier this fall against UTSA. 

Sarkisian acknowledged Monday that Lacey’s split reps haven’t changed this season behind Manning but pointed out “we’ll find out as the week goes.”

Texas leads the SEC in three-and-out rate and has not been able to push the opposition off the football in the run game despite the offseason acquisitions of Hollywood Smothers (NC State) and Raleek Brown (Arizona State). Like Manning, Lacey can make plays with his legs, but remains a pocket-first passer.