Who is Texas football's quarterback this week? Arch Manning to start vs ULM

Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian announced who would be starting at quarterback on Saturday for the No. 2 Longhorns vs. Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday.

And it will be backup quarterback Arch Manning.

It will be the first career start for Manning, who will start in place of Quinn Ewers as he continues to rehab from an oblique strain he sustained in Week 3 vs UTSA. Sarkisian listed Ewers as "day-to-day" and questionable earlier this week for Saturday's game.

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"Arch is more than capable, as I think we all know," Sarkisian said Thursday at a news conference with assembled media in Texas. "He's got a lot of confidence from his teammates and trust from his teammates to go out and play. He'd had a really good week of work and understands the plan.

"But it's different when you're the starting quarterback, as opposed to coming in cold off the bench as a backup. So, a different challenge for him. But I know that he'll be more than ready to go out, operate (and) play football at (a) high level for us."

The 6-foot-4 quarterback came in for Ewers during the second quarter of last week's 56-7 win over UTSA, and dominated as he completed 9 of 12 passes for 223 yards and four touchdowns. He also finished with 67 rushing yards on three carries.

He also ran for a 65-yard touchdown score, where he was clocked running at 20.7 mph.

Last week, Manning became the first quarterback at either the college or NFL level in the last 25 years to have finished a game with a touchdown pass of at least 75 yards, a touchdown run of at least 65 yards and another passing touchdown of at least 50 yards in a single game per OptaStats.

Sarkisian also said that freshman quarterback Trey Owens will serve as Texas' backup on Saturday vs. ULM. He also reiterated that Ewers is the Longhorn's starting quarterback once he returns from injury.

"I'm looking forward at his future as a player, but also the future of the season for us in the longevity, "said Sarkisian on his decision to start Manning on Saturday. "Getting him possibly one more week healthier for the long term, I think, is good for us as we're getting ready for SEC play."

Manning is the nephew of former NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning and the grandson of Archie Manning.

Texas will take on Louisiana-Monroe at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arch Manning to start for Texas amid Quinn Ewers injury