Steve Sarkisian Gushes About Arch Manning & Trey Owens Performances In Texas Longhorns Spring Game

The Texas Longhorns quarterback room stole the show in the Orange-White Spring Game

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) hands the ball of to Texas White team running back / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA

Spring football has finally come to a close for the Texas Longhorns following the conclusion of the annual Orange-White Spring game on Saturday.

Based on what we heard from head coach Steve Sarkisian after the scrimmage, it is hard to imagine it could have gone any better than it did, with many position groups exceeding expectations throughout the day.

However, there was one position group that understandably stole the headlines - Texas backup quarterbacks Arch Manning and Trey Owens.

And Sarkisian could not have been happier about what he saw.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) hands the ball of to Texas White team running back / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA

"I thought it was a great experience for Arch and for Trey Owens to play football, and for an extended amount of time at quarterback at this level," Sarkisian said.

At the forefront of the conversation, of course, was Manning, who came to Austin as arguably the most-hyped recruit in the history of the program.

Suffice it to say, he showed exactly why on Saturday, completing 19 of 25 passes for 355 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, which came on a game-ending Hail Mary attempt. He also had a handful of effective runs in the pocket, and was able to extend plays when needed.

"I wanted Arch to really just go play football," Sarkisian said. "The biggest thing I saw from Arch was something that we really harped on with him about a week and a half ago, about just playing the play and keeping your eyes up. When he keeps his eyes up and steps up in the pocket, he can deliver those balls down the field the way that we'd like to play. It was good to see."

Owens, meanwhile, might have been the biggest surprise of the day for the Horns, going big throw for big throw with Manning throughout most of the afternoon, and finishing 14 of 21 passing for 228 yards and three touchdowns.

It was a performance that fans did not expect to see when they arrived at DKR, but that Sarkisian was confident he could see out of Owens based on what he had seen from his new freshman QB throughout the spring.

"Trey Owens is very talented and he can make a lot of throws," Sarkisian said.

Following the conclusion of the spring game, the Longhorns will head into the summer with a quarterback group that appears to be one of, and maybe even the best room in the entire country.

And Sarkisian is thrilled with what he has to work with.

"I'm very encouraged about where we're at at the quarterback position."