4 takeaways from Texas's deciding win vs. UL-Monroe

Arch Manning's deep ball

Texas's deep-passing game gashed ULM for multiple explosive plays in the first half, including on a huge response from Manning on the drive after he threw a pick in the first quarter. Of Manning's 258 passing yards and 15 completions on the night, eight of them were explosive plays that accounted for roughly 80 percent of his passing yards.

All eight of Texas's explosive plays on the night were explosive throws that Arch completed to his multiple different receiving weapons on the outside and out the slot. Even more impressive was how many different skill position weapons Arch found for explosive plays in this game. He found four different receivers for explosive plays in this win over ULM.

Manning's deep ball added another element to Texas's offense in this game. It forced ULM's defense to extend its safeties, giving Texas more room to control the clock and the time of possession battle by way of the ground game.

It wasn't just Arch's deep ball that created explosive plays, and resulted in scoring drives for the Longhorns. Manning also was instrumental in helping Texas go 100 percent scoring on seven red zone possessions outside of garbage time. True freshman quarterback Trey Owens also lead a scoring drive on a nice touchdown run from converted receiver Ryan Niblett in the fourth quarter.

Both Manning's dual-threat ability and his deep ball are new elements to this offense that makes opposing defenses have to respect new phases of the Longhorns' on this side of the ball until starting quarterback Quinn Ewers returns from the abdominal strain injury he suffered last week against UTSA.