Former Longhorns QB Todd Dodge 'Fired Up' About Arch Manning

On a ESPN story released on Thursday, Dodge talked highly of both quarterbacks but stated that, "there's a reason why Quinn Ewers is the starter."

Westlake head coach Todd Dodge lifts the Class 6A Division 2 State Championship trophy after defeating Guyer 40-21 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Dec. 18, 2021. Aem Westlake Vs Guyer 6 / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Todd Dodge is a very notable name in Texas high school football.

After leading Carroll High School to three straight 5A State Championships from 2004-2007, Dodge won three straight again at Austin Westlake High School from 2019-2021.

Now coaching at Lovejoy High School in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Dodge has one impressive resume of high school coaching in the state that is nearly impossible for any other Texas high school coach could match.

Dodge was also the starting quarterback for the University of Texas between 1982-1985 where he won the Southwestern Conference in 1983.

With the recent injury to Quinn Ewers and the Arch Manning hype train officially arriving in Austin, it's led to an interesting conversation over who would be the better QB1 for the team.

And on Thursday, ESPN let Todd Dodge voice his opinion on the recent hype on Manning and what it means to Quinn Ewers.

"The most popular guy in any college town is the No. 2 quarterback," Dodge said. "I've been the No. 2 where I couldn't buy my own dinner and everybody wanted to let me know how much they thought I ought to be playing."

Arch Manning's popularity definitely receives a massive boost from his family legacy, but it shouldn't worry Quinn Ewers, according to Dodge.

"They're very, very talented young men that both could be playing almost anywhere in the country, but the (Manning) family puts tremendous value in development and patience," he said. "To me, that takes a little bit of the angst off of me as the starter knowing that I don't have a backup who's out there just every waning minute trying to convince people that he ought to be the guy."

On Thursday, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters that Quinn Ewers is still the starter when he is healthy. And for Dodge, he believes that is still the right decision as well.

"All of us Texas fans are fired up about what Arch did the other day," Dodge said. "But in the big picture, there's a reason why Quinn Ewers is the starter. When you start having to face Georgia and people like that, well, it doesn't mean that Arch Manning can't have a bang-up game against a Georgia or an Alabama. It's just that Quinn Ewers has already done it."

Quinn Ewers has already been ruled out for Saturday's game against ULM, meaning Arch Manning will get his first career start at the college football level against the Warhawks.

The game starts at 7 p.m. CT in DKR Stadium.