Save all your Arch Manning hot takes. Judgement day is coming for Texas

Two weeks ahead of Texas’ season opener, Steve Sarkisian said words that probably sent a chill down the spine of Matthew McConaughey and his Bevo brethren.

Sark described his quarterback — you may have heard of the guy — as being “inefficient” in portions of a preseason scrimmage on Aug. 23. The Texas coach wondered aloud whether Arch Manning might be dealing with some “mental fatigue.”

Quick, someone yank the fire alarm. If a quarterback can’t handle the strain of preseason camp, how’s he going to hold up under one of the nation’s toughest schedules?

It’s panic time!

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On cue, a popular Texas podcast reacted to Sarkisian’s comments with an episode titled, Arch Manning Starts SLOW Again — Is it time for Texas to worry?

Anything for the algorithm. My, how the Arch pendulum swings.

This time a year ago, we literally heard debates of just how soon Manning would zoom past Tim Tebow as the greatest college quarterback of the past 20 years. The Arch Hype Train rumbled out of the station last summer, reached speeds that would blow past the Shanghai Maglev, and then went screaming off the rails once the season started.

By midseason, The New York Times made Manning out to be a bum. Not some blogger in his grandpap’s basement, but the Gray Lady, calling Manning a bust.

Have mercy.

Take a breath before casting off Arch Manning

Fast forward a year, and Manning couldn’t even catch an attaboy from his coach. Sarkisian labeled Texas' offense as “too sloppy” in that August scrimmage.

* Insert hysteria voice * If Manning can’t solve the riddle of his own defense while wearing a no-contact jersey, how’s he supposed to tame the Buckeyes?

Relax, everybody. Deep breath. In. Out. And, repeat.

I don’t want to go all Allen Iverson on y’all, but we’re talkin’ ’bout a scrimmage.

A scrimmage.

In August.

Texas didn't need a repeat of last summer's Arch Mania. No matter how Manning fared throughout the preseason, Sark is better off holding back on any exaltation of Manning before we get a glimpse of how he looks in this encore.

Anyway, it’s a well-worn coaching move to critique one side of the ball after a scrimmage. If it lights a fire under that unit, all the better.

Don’t box up the panic button and pack it in the attic, but don’t press it just yet, either.

Anyway, if No. 4 Texas’ defense is nails, like it apparently was in that scrimmage, then that’s a boon for Manning.

If Manning wobbles against Texas State in the opener and wilts against No. 1 Ohio State in the sequel, then it’ll be time to sound the alarm. For now, there’s still reason to believe Manning will be twice the quarterback he was last season.

Texas, Arch Manning must be better against top opponents

Manning must prove himself against top opponents. He faltered last year against Ohio State. Wasn’t good against Georgia, either. Middlin’ against Texas A&M.

It’s one thing to run all over Michigan in a bowl game, while the Wolverines’ disgraced coach awaits his next court date. It’ll be quite another for Arch to stare down Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in September or LSU at Death Valley come November.

Texas' schedule includes a lot of games against teams with skinny numbers next to their name. To live up to expectations, Texas needs Arch to live up to his surname. He didn’t last season.

Steve Sarkisian assembles supporting cast for his QB

Once the hysteria of Sark’s scrimmage comments passed, you started to hear a friendlier preseason assessment.

“They continue to find explosive plays,” Sarkisian said of the offense, one week after that now-infamous scrimmage.

As for Manning?

“He’s had a great camp,” Sarkisian said, not long after that highly dissected scrimmage.

If you’re looking for a reason Manning will thrive in his second full season starting, don’t just consider Arch. Look at everyone around him.

The offensive line, on paper, seems sturdy. As for the weaponry, Texas plundered the most coveted transfer wide receiver, Cam Coleman. And, it added two stud running backs who combined for nearly 2,100 yards rushing last season.

Ideally, with this lineup, Manning won’t need to rush for 155 yards every time out, like he did in Texas’ win against Michigan. A handoff for an 8-yard gain is a quarterback’s best friend.

"It wasn't great that we didn't really have a run game around him,” Sarkisian said, “to where he became the run game.”

True, and also, Sarkisian was too slow to lean into Manning’s running abilities.

Now, Sarkisian must understand if Manning starts a little jittery, call his number a time or two in the run game to help him settle in.

No coach wants his prized quarterback battered and bruised, but some guys need to absorb a hit or two to feel comfortable. Manning is one of those guys. In that one aspect, maybe the Tebow comparison suits him.

Otherwise, let’s agree Manning is no Tebow, until proven otherwise, but an August scrimmage is just an August scrimmage. Once the games begin, we won’t need to dissect Sark’s words.

We’ll soon see for ourselves: Is Arch the star Texas needs, or is he the “inefficient” quarterback who couldn’t solve his own defense in August, let alone Ohio State’s in September?

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's senior national college football columnist. Listen to his podcast, "College Football Unfiltered." Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Save all your Arch Manning hot takes. Judgement day is coming for Texas