Paul Finebaum Clarifies Bold Arch Manning Comments

Even though Quinn Ewers has decided to return to Texas for his final season, the focus is still on Arch Manning. Manning comes from a prestigious football family as the grandson of Archie Manning and the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning.

After Manning's great spring game performance, many wondered if a quarterback battle emerged.  That fire seemed to be ignited even more when ESPN's Paul Finebaum was asked who would be the quarterback at the end of the season. Finebaum said it would be Manning, even calling it a "guarantee." While that raised some eyebrows, it turns out it was a misinterpretation of the question.

Texas Longhorns quarterbacks Arch Manning (16), left, and Quinn Ewers (3) throw passes while warming up ahead of the Longhorns' spring Orange and White game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, April 20, 2024. Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Finebaum said he thought he was being asked who would be the quarterback after this season was over and not who would be the quarterback at the end of this season.

"I thought when the guys said 'end of the season,' I thought he meant end of the season (it's over)," Finebaum said. "I never want to back away from anything I said, but I did give an interview earlier from a young man from local TV, and I've been seeing that pop up and going, 'What was I drinking?'"

Finebaum said he believes Manning will start next year, not this season. He also mentioned that he thinks Quinn Ewers is arguably the second-best quarterback in the country.

So, while some may be hoping for a quarterback controversy, it seems Finebaum is not contributing to that idea.