With Arch Manning out due to injury recovery, the Texas Longhorns' quarterback backups are getting an opportunity to shine early in the spring practice schedule. Head coach Steve Sarkisian specifically spoke about second-year QB KJ Lacey on Monday.
With starting quarterback Arch Manning sideliined for the start of spring practices while recovering from foot surgery, the opening days of the Texas Longhorns' spring schedule serve as an important opportunity for Manning's backups to gather some early reps.
Behind Manning in the depth chart are fifth-year transfer MJ Morris, redshirt freshman KJ Lacey and five-star freshman Dia Bell. All three participated in the first day of the spring schedule on Monday. Though Manning's backup will likely not be officially determined until much closer to the fall season, there may already be a frontrunner for the role.Dec 6, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Saraland's KJ Lacey thows a pass as he is pressured by a Parker defender at Protective Stadium in the 6A State Championship game. Parker defeated Saraland 28-17. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Lacey played in just one game for Texas last season — a brief appearance against Sam Houston. But he did receivefrom his head coach ahead of the Longhorns' bowl game against the Michigan Wolverines, stating in late December that Lacey is "on the right trajectory to become a really good player" for the Longhorns. On Monday, Sarkisian again spoke about the 2025 four-star recruit out of Alabama. While unsure about the amount of playing time he will receive this fall, due to Manning being in front of him, Sarkisian seems to be pleased with the way Lacey debuted in spring practice. "There's a lot of big reps that he's getting right now that I think are invaluable for him," Sarkisian said. "Been very impressed — made a lot of plays throwing the ball, and made plays with his feet. There's a couple plays that I think he'll want back, but that's going to come with some of the experience and speed of the first-team defense too, of how they play. But this is a great opportunity for him."Coleman showed off strong hands despite the wet weather, while early indications show Lacey could be ready for the QB2 role.As a senior in high school, Lacey was named Alabama's "Mr. Football" and finished with the second-most passing yards in state history, per Lacey could very well end up serving as a bridge quarterback between Manning and Bell, if Manning heads to the NFL after this season and Texas opts to take the developmental route with Bell. Sarkisian's sentiment indicates that as a possibility — the likely next step for that potential outcome to occur would be him earning the backup role. The trust seems to be building between Lacey and the coaching staff. The coming month of spring practices, in which Lacey can be expected to gain extensive reps, provides an opportunity for him to continue that trend.Tyler Firtel is a sophomore Journalism major at the University of Texas at Austin. He has been writing for Texas Longhorns on SI since May 2025. Firtel also writes for The Daily Texan, currently serving as a senior sports reporter on the women’s basketball beat. Firtel is from Los Angeles, CA, splitting his professional sports fandom between the LA and San Diego teams. Arch Manning’s Father Shared Insightful Update on QB’s Recent Surgery: What It Means for Texas in 2026
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