Arch Manning may be more ready than ever after recovering from offseason foot surgery

This offseason, the noise surrounding the Texas Longhorns and starting quarterback Arch Manning from last year has grown even louder.

From head coach Steve Sarkisian adding weapons across the board from the transfer portal and recruiting trail, to returning stars entering the season with another year of experience under their belts, the Horns look as ready as ever to take on the SEC and a run through the College Football Playoff.

There was really only one speed bump in the offseason for the Horns, and that was when Texas shared that Manning had undergone foot surgery.

After missing time during the spring and summer camps, Manning finally returned to the field and immediately started making headlines as he built his connection with new players like wideout Cam Coleman.

Texas has Arch Manning right where he needs to be

However, while attending and working out at his family's Manning Passing Academy, the Longhorns' QB1 shared that he had reached somewhere in the 235-pound ballpark when he had most recently weighed in; a 16-pound increase and on the heavy end for a collegiate quarterback.

Standing at 6-foot-4, tacking on that much weight after being listed at 219 pounds at the end of last season was a little jarring for analysts and fans were crunching numbers, especially when taking into consideration that Manning is a dual-threat quarterback and needs to remain light on his feet.

Then, Texas released its official roster for the 2026-27 season, including height and weight measurements for each player. Manning was listed at 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds.

Perfect.

Adding three pounds of muscle is a great sign for Manning, and a much better weigh-in than having added over seven percent of his overall mass to his frame.

The surgery was reportedly a preventative operation, and Manning was never expected to be sidelined for very long. However, to see that he is back to full health and is at an extremely healthy weight is a great sign for the Horns.

Manning wasn't the only player to log a noticeable weight change this offseason, with even kicker Spencer Barnett adding 16 pounds and long snapper Trott O'Neal shedding 16 pounds of his own.

Notably, offensive lineman Jaydon Chatman added 15 pounds to his frame, edge rusher Smith Orogbo added 13 pounds, defensive lineman Hero Kanu shed 12 pounds, and OL Brandon Baker tacked on 10 pounds.

The rest of the Longhorns' depth chart added or lost weight in the single digits, just like Manning, but it's clear that Texas is getting its players into the best shape possible ahead of the 2026 season.

This year, as Manning takes on his second season as the starting quarterback for Texas, the Horns are one of the frontrunners to win the SEC Championship and are also in the National Championship conversation with just a few weeks until the season kicks off.

Also read: The most pressing question for Arch Manning to answer at 2026 SEC Media Days

Manning looks ready; he sounds ready. Now, it's time to see if he and the rest of the Longhorns are actually ready.

Today's best reads

• JD PicKell has superhero-sized expectations for Texas in 2026 and you should too
• The most pressing question for Arch Manning to answer at 2026 SEC Media Days
• Horns will kick off fall camp just in time for Texas's new $80-million practice facility
• Monshun Sales' choice between Texas and Indiana should be an obvious one
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This article was originally published on hookemheadlines.com as Arch Manning may be more ready than ever after recovering from offseason foot surgery.