Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian believes quarterback Arch Manning deserves a bigger NIL deal despite earning $6.8 million last year as college football’s highest-paid athlete.
Sarkisian made his case for Manning during an appearance on The Andy & Ari podcast Thursday, according to On3’s Chris Low.
“Arch is probably the most underpaid quarterback in college football from what we’re paying,” Sarkisian told Low.
The coach also shared insight into the Manning family’s approach to NIL negotiations. Low reported that Sarkisian still has a text from Manning’s father Cooper Manning with a clear message.
“We’re not taking a dime. We want you to go out and get great players. And you can show this text to every player you recruit. And that’s a big help.”
Sarkisian’s comments come as college football’s financial landscape continues shifting dramatically.
The LSU Tigers recently spent over $40 million rebuilding their roster under new leadership, setting new market standards. Teams across the country are now willing to pay premium prices for talent at key positions.
Manning enters his sophomore season in a strong position under Sarkisian, who’s built a reputation for developing quarterbacks within innovative offensive systems.
Texas showed significant improvement in the second half of last season and came close to making the College Football Playoff. The Longhorns are positioned for another strong campaign with Manning leading the offense.
The NIL era has created situations where some programs overpay for talent while others find value in different approaches.
Manning’s situation represents a unique balance between elite compensation and team-first mentality from his family.
