Arch Manning hasn’t accepted NIL money, according to Texas coach Steve Sarkisian

No player in college football has more value in name, image and likeness than Arch Manning. But the young Texas quarterback hasn’t taken advantage of that, at least according to his coach.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Wednesday that Manning has yet to accept anyone Money for NIL.

“Everybody’s under the impression that it was a no-brainer for him to come to the University of Texas. It wasn’t at all,” Sarkisian said of Manning’s decision to come to Texas while speaking at the Houston Touchdown Club banquet.

Sarkisian also shared that Manning’s father, Cooper, sent him a text following the quarterback’s commitment to Texas to help dispel any notion that his son joined the Longhorns because of NIL money.

“The message if you’re recruiting is to tell any of the other recruits that Arch Manning is coming to Texas because he loves the University of Texas,” Sarkisian said, citing a message Cooper Manning sent him. “He loves the coach and he loves the program.

“This is not about NIL. He has taken zero money from a NIL perspective.”

Manning could spend a lot of money accepting any NIL deal. According to one, it currently has a NIL valuation of $3.8 million Report from On3.com in April. That’s more than any other college football player. Apart from that it is double the amount of any player USC Quarterback and reigning Heisman winner Caleb WilliamsWhich is worth $2.6 million.

With Manning leaving millions of dollars on the table, Sarkisian is happy that his family makes him prioritize his play on the field before making money.

“His beauty to us, his zero value—whatever he is—his grandfather [Archie] No one would let him take zero money,” Sarkisian said. “He said, ‘When you become a player and start, you can take money.’”

If no one can accept NIL money until Manning starts, he may have to wait at least a year to start collecting checks. Sarkisian announced that Quinn Evers would be the team’s starting quarterback for 2023, as expected.

Of course, things can always change during the season that gives Manning a chance to start. But that still isn’t expected to start until 2024, when Evers could potentially enter the NFL draft.

Although Manning is not expected to start this season, Sarkisian hopes the quarterback will be thrust into a role as a backup.

“I hope not,” Sarkeesian said when asked if Manning would be patient at lunch. “I want it to scratch the surface at every opportunity that it can be more than that. When we accept our role that way, that’s a problem.”

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