College football analyst pours cold water on Arch Manning's big spring game performance

While I agree that it's never wise to put much stock into a spring game performance -- it's a glorified practice, after all -- I'm not sure that Farrell's take is fair. 

That's mostly because Manning's performance in the Texas spring game in 2023 was picked apart after he completed just 5-of-13 passes for 30 yards. 

Consider this note from On3 after the 2023 Texas spring game: 

"When looking at the Texas spring game box score, the stats from Manning do not pop. He completed just five of 13 throws, going for 30 yards. Turning on the film will not help either as defenders were constantly closing in on the quarterback and making him uncomfortable."

Last year, Manning was criticized for facing too much pressure and passing for just 30 yards. This year, he was criticized for not facing enough pressure while passing for over 300 yards. 

It's a lose/lose situation for Manning. If he wouldn't have performed well in this year's spring game, analysts everywhere would've hopped on the "Arch is overrated" bandwagon. 

And even though he did perform well, it's getting dismissed by Farrell because it was a spring game. 

It seems like Arch's famous last name has led to more criticism for the young quarterback than anything else. Perhaps it's time to stop suggesting that the "Manning name" is a blessing. Because ultimately, it feels like all it's done for Arch is put a major target on his back.