“Didn’t take it personally”: Kirk Herbstreit explains why Arch Manning earned CFB’s top redemption honor

Arch Manning is the winner of the Redemption Player of the Year Herbie Award. It's an award presented by CFB analyst Kirk Herbstreit to a player who bounced back from a poor season the year before, an injury, or even someone who showed great growth from Week 1 to Week 14.

Herbstreit gave his reason for selecting Manning as the award winner.

"I think he came in with unrealistic expectations. When this season started, people were talking about, 'He's going to win the Heisman Trophy. He’s better than Payton. He’s better than Eli. He’s better than his grandpa. He’s going to win a national championship. It’ll be the first pick next year in the draft." "When that didn’t pan out in the first half of the season, people were very, very critical. To his credit, he blocked all of that out. Didn’t take any of it personally. If anything, I think it motivated him to go out and help his teammates win games. And I was really happy for him enduring that and coming out on the other side."

Manning won the Herbie Award over fellow nominees Alabama linebacker Deonte Lawson and Notre Dame defensive end Boubacar Traore. The Texas Longhorns superstar ended his first year as a full-time starter with a stat line of 2,942 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

Manning helped the Longhorns to a 9-3 record, and they narrowly missed out on the College Football Playoffs. However, his resilience has earned plaudits around the collegiate football scene.

Arch Manning is still highly rated after a mixed 2025

Arch Manning is tipped to return for the 2026 college football season, and he remains arguably the most hyped quarterback in college football. According to Yardbarker, Manning would be a Day 1 pick if he were to declare for the 2025 draft.

The report states that three college scouts and two NFL executives were spoken to. All five talent evaluators told Yardbarker that Arch Manning would still be a Day 1 pick, with three of them saying he’d still be QB1.

The reason for their evaluation is Manning's current ability and the potential he exudes. It's believed that Manning will only get better with reps, and his size is something that can't be taught. Manning currently measures at 6' 4", 219 lbs, and he's the first genuine dual-threat QB in the Manning Family.

Arch Manning has until January 14, 2025, to declare for the 2026 draft as an underclassman. However, the general consensus is that he'll run it back with the Longhorns and look to deliver a national championship for Steve Sarkisian's team.

Edited by Nick Igbokwe