Pundits claim Texas QB Arch Manning will transfer. What does the Longhorns' QB1 say?

Arch Manning hasn't played like the best quarterback in college football this season. But Manning likely has a rightful claim as the most talked-about quarterback in college football, a fact acknowledged by his head coach last week.  "Somebody texted me today that we lost the 'aw shucks' kid, you know, and we've created something else," Texas'  Steve Sarkisian said. "I don't know if we lost him, we created this, ya know? We did. All of us. Y'all included, me included, the whole thing, right? Everybody on ESPN, we've created this, and so we'll see what comes out of it." Sarkisian isn't conjuring a creation from thin air. The college football media machine dissects Manning with every drop back, the price that comes with being one of the most  highly hyped recruits in history. But it's not just Manning's on-field performance that's currently under evaluation. So is his future, at least from those outside Texas' program.  Goodbye, Austin? Few feelings will be hurt if Manning leaves Texas after this season in order to enter the 2027 NFL Draft. Depart Texas for another college program? That would represent a tense situation, in which Manning would leave his home of four years in search of greener collegiate pastures. The scenario would be jarring for Sarkisian's program. It wouldn't be totally shocking to some in the media space. "Arch ain't gonna be (at Texas) next year," David Pollack, a former Georgia linebacker and current analyst at Bleacher Report said in a video released Monday. "Like, I don't think he'll be at Texas. And I think Arch will be excited, and I think as long as (Sarkisian) is there, it will probably be an amicable split." Pollack said a current SEC coach predicts Manning will play at Georgia in 2027. Dan Orlovsky, a former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst, didn't send Manning to Athens, though he urged Manning to find a new college home in 2027. "From a strictly football perspective, I hate Texas' offense. I can't stand watching it. They don't allow Arch to play quarterback," Orlovsky said. "I do not believe Arch should go to the NFL. I believe Arch should leave Texas and go to a place that can adamantly develop him as a quarterback, that gives you the ability to play quarterback." Orlovsky mentioned LSU, Ohio State, Miami and Kentucky as potential landing spots for Manning in a subsequent tweet, as well as Indiana, a popular theoretical future home for Texas' current quarterback. Earmuffs for Arch Manning There's plenty said each week about the future of Texas' quarterback. What does Manning think about the conjecture? He insists he doesn't hear any of the chatter.  "I don't know, I got nothing to say," Manning said Saturday when asked about claims he will or should transfer. "I keep my circle tight."  Manning laughed off questions regarding a potential transfer. His teammates didn't want to entertain the possibility, either. "We're not going to sit here and take those questions seriously," UT linebacker Justin Cryer said after Texas' 34-27 win over Ole Miss. "I'm not going to sit here and worry about what people have to say about, like, people's future or where we are as a team. Unless you're in this building, then that has nothing to do with me." A post shared by hookem.com (@hookemdotcom) Manning has three paths for his football future after 2026: go pro, transfer or return to Texas. The options will be discussed ad nauseam through the fall and winter. Manning's focus is presently elsewhere, with at least five games remaining in his career with the Longhorns. Sign up for the Daily Briefing from the Austin American-Statesman. Start your day with the must-read headlines from Austin's most trusted news source. This article originally published at Pundits claim Texas QB Arch Manning will transfer. What does the Longhorns' QB1 say? .