Steve Sarkisian and team have 'a lot of confidence' in Texas's new QB1

Arch Manning is officially sidelined for at least a six-day period as the Texas Longhorns' starting quarterback goes through concussion protocol. So, the Horns and head coach Steve Sarkisian are having to shift gears, preparing another QB1 for battle.

Backup quarterback Matthew Caldwell was thrust into the spotlight on Saturday night as Texas secured the overtime, comeback victory over Mississippi State. The surge to tie the game by the end of the fourth quarter was almost entirely due to Manning, but the OT touchdown that actually earned the win was a ball from Caldwell.

On Monday, after updating Manning's injury status, Sarkisian assured everyone that hope wasn't lost with Caldwell holding the reins.

"The good thing for [Matthew Caldwell] is that he's a very even-keel guy... the players have a lot of confidence in him," Sarkisian said. "He's very engaged even when he doesn't play... It felt very comfortable, very normal today."

Caldwell ran the Horns' first practice back from Starkville as the QB1, working with the first team players to ensure familiarity in case he would be named as the starter on Saturday.

Will Matthew Caldwell or KJ Lacey start for Texas?

While there is still a possibility that Manning could return in time to start for Texas against the No. 9 Vanderbilt Commodores this weekend, it is far from certain. So, as Caldwell continues to take first-team reps, it is likely the veteran quarterback will get the nod over freshman KJ Lacey.

However, Sarkisian made sure to point out that Lacey had also had an impressive practice on Monday as he took snaps with the second-team offense.

"KJ Lacey got reps with the twos and I thought that was really good for him," Sarkisian said. "You know, he's a very talented player who's been growing and getting better, so it was fun for us to see him get more reps today."

Lacey was a four-star prospect in the class of 2025 as the No. 18 quarterback in the recruiting cycle and the No. 13 overall athlete out of Alabama. He was part of Texas's No. 1 recruiting class, which featured five five-star prospects.

Manning will be back before the season ends, it just might not be by Saturday, but the Longhorns will be in good hands.

The No. 20 Longhorns and the No. 9 Commodores kick off at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, Nov. 1, and the game will be broadcast on ABC.