Spring ball is officially here and the Texas Longhorns are back on the 40 Acres.
As head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff ran the Horns through their usual drills with media members in attendance, some of the most notable figures were the true freshmen who joined the team as a part of Texas's top-10 recruiting class.
The other most noteworthy appearance? Arch Manning.
Arch Manning dressed at Texas's first spring practice
Earlier this year, fresh off the win over Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, reports came out that Texas's starting quarterback, Arch Manning, had undergone a preventative surgery on his foot.
Since then, his availability was relatively unknown as he went through rehab and recovery. On Monday, at the Horns' first spring practice session of the year, Manning was dressed and on the field.
However, the Austin American-Statesman's David Eckert and Thomas Jones reported that Manning's actual on-field action at the practice was limited.
"Manning did not partake in a drill that asked Texas’ quarterbacks to roll out and make a throw on the run," Eckert and Thomas wrote. "Later, he also stood off to the side during a more stationary throwing drill."
The pair shared that Manning played more of an encouraging role during the practice, rather than assuming his usual QB1 duties during drills.
Also read: 5 Texas football storylines to watch out for on day one of spring practice 2026
Now, there's no need to panic. The actual football season is still over five months away, and Sarkisian has given absolutely no indication that anyone else on the roster will take snaps at QB1 this year. However, it's always noteworthy to know where a team's quarterback is in his recovery.
Last season, Manning led the Longhorns to a 10-3 overall record behind 3,163 passing yards for 35 touchdowns and only nine interceptions, 399 rushing yards for 10 touchdowns, and even four receiving yards for yet another touchdown.
This season, even more is expected from Texas's starting quarterback, but first, Sarkisian just needs to get Manning back to practicing at full speed.