Steve Sarkisian on Texas' Expectations and Arch Manning's Debut

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian joins Colin Cowherd on "The Herd" to discuss the Longhorns' upcoming matchup against Michigan, as well as the expectations for the season and quarterback Arch Manning's performance in his collegiate debut.

In a recent episode of "The Herd," Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian sat down with Colin Cowherd to discuss the Longhorns' upcoming matchup against Michigan, as well as the expectations for the season and quarterback Arch Manning's performance in his collegiate debut.

Steve Sarkisian on Texas' Expectations and Arch Manning's Debut

Manning, the nephew of former NFL stars Peyton and Eli Manning, led Texas to a 51-3 victory over Louisiana Monroe in his first collegiate start over the weekend. He threw for 258 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Sarkisian praised Manning's preparation and work ethic but acknowledged that the redshirt freshman had some lessons to learn in his debut.

Steve Sarkisian on Texas' Expectations and Arch Manning's Debut

"To think he was going to come out and play a perfect game, I don't think anybody in here thought that," Sarkisian said. "I thought he was going to prepare really well, work really hard, do everything he could to play good football. He was going to have some lessons learned, and I think that's what tonight was about."

Manning echoed Sarkisian's assessment, calling his performance a "C-plus."

Steve Sarkisian on Texas' Expectations and Arch Manning's Debut

"I think I played okay," Manning said. "I made some good plays, but I also made some bad plays. I think I can learn from this and get better."

Despite the less-than-perfect debut, Sarkisian is confident in Manning's potential.

"I think he's going to be a really good player for us," Sarkisian said. "He's got a lot of talent, he's got a lot of intangibles, and he's a hard worker. I'm really excited about his future."

Texas is currently ranked No. 3 in the country and will face a tough test against No. 10 Michigan next Saturday. Sarkisian knows that his team will need to be at their best to compete with the Wolverines.

"We're going to have to play our best game," Sarkisian said. "Michigan is a really good football team. They're well-coached, they're physical, and they're talented. We're going to have to be ready to play."

Sarkisian also discussed the Longhorns' expectations for the season.

"We want to win a championship," Sarkisian said. "That's our goal every year. We know it's not going to be easy, but we think we have the team to do it."

Texas will open its SEC schedule next week against Mississippi State. The Longhorns are looking to make a statement in their first season in the SEC and prove that they belong among the nation's elite teams.

Sarkisian is excited about the opportunity to lead Texas to a championship.

"I'm so proud of our players and our staff," Sarkisian said. "We've worked really hard to get to this point, and we're not going to let up now. We're going to keep working hard and we're going to keep fighting until we reach our goals."