Texas football has been buzzing with anticipation as Arch Manning, the much-heralded quarterback, steps into the spotlight as the Longhorns’ starting signal-caller for the 2025 season. He has already made significant plays that hint at a promising future. But amidst the hype and pressure, there’s another vital element. It’s how he fits into the Texas Longhorns family beyond just stats and touchdowns. Football is as much about chemistry and trust as it is about talent. And this is where the dynamic between Arch Manning and one of Texas’ influential defensive leaders, Michael Taaffe, comes into play.

Taaffe’s early days were tough in Texas. He spent his freshman year mostly unnoticed. But by his redshirt freshman season, he was on the field contributing, and soon after, the Longhorns awarded him a scholarship. Coming back to the conversation, Taaffe’s relationship with Arch isn’t your typical teammate bond. It’s more like a brotherhood. On the “Off Script with Zak Herbstreit” show, Michael Taaffe opened up about his dynamic with Arch Manning, giving fans a real inside look at their ‘brotherhood.’

“We became best friends the second we met, just because we have such a similar mindset on everything,” Taaffe said to Zac. “Whether it’s you know the social life, football aspect, or you know morally how we treat people, we’re so similar.” Taaffe played a surprisingly influential role in recruiting Manning to Texas.

When Taaffe received the call from Texas safeties coach Blake Gideon offering him a preferred walk-on spot, no one expected this local Austin Westlake standout to become a key figure in convincing the No. 1 overall recruit to commit. “He came up to me, and I knew who he was,” Taaffe said Monday. “I tried to give him my two cents on why he should come to Texas. He did (know who I was). I was just a freshman walk-on, and he just acknowledged that I played at Westlake and had my success there.”

Taaffe didn’t put on any recruiting slick talk or pressure. He just offered genuine friendship and his own perspective as a player who knew the University of Texas football culture inside and out. From there, their friendship grew. Before Arch’s official visit in June 2022, Taaffe took it upon himself to be his host. He showed Arch around campus and took him to spots like Dirty Martin’s, while always keeping the conversation focused on football. He also described him as a down-to-earth guy. “It’s really cool to have somebody so grounded have all this attention,” he said of Arch. “Man, I would hate for it if it were the other way, where he really liked the attention, but he doesn’t really like it.”

Another key aspect Taaffe highlighted is Arch’s mindset. “The best thing about Arch is [that] he never really prepared as a backup,” Taaffe said. “He’s been in his mind [that] he’s been a starter, how he prepares every single day, the second that he stepped on campus. And so that really helps when you’re preparing like the starter now. Then, when you get into that transition, nothing changes, and that’s been the best thing for him.” Arch worked closely with coaches like Paul Chryst, who helped him refine his game and become more present-focused. Off the field, Arch’s preparation went legit next level. He changed his nutrition and fitness habits drastically compared to high school.

Arch Manning ditched fast food and ordering habits for a pro athlete’s diet, with help from team nutritionists and partnerships like Red Bull’s. This mature approach allowed Arch to turn what could have been a waiting game into a growth period. And now, with the season looming a few days away, Manning is finally at the helm. And Taaffe is giving a solid thumbs up to Arch Manning’s starting moment.

“I think he’s prepared for the moment,” Taaffe said. “But now it’s just time for him to go do it and enjoy doing it, quite frankly.” Taaffe recognizes the immense pressure Arch faces, carrying the weight of the Manning legacy alongside the high expectations from Texas fans. But Arch handles it with a grounded attitude.

Michael Taaffe’s key to shutting down Ohio State

Michael Taaffe is fired up about the upcoming Texas vs. Ohio State game. He sees it as a huge moment for the Longhorns to prove themselves. And he also has a master plan ready to take down the Buckeyes this time. “Obviously, everything starts with stopping the run,” Taaffe told Zac. “I think you can lose sight of that because you see what’s outside and all the threats that a state has. And then obviously their quarterback is a great quarterback too. So you don’t want to lose sight of stopping the run because if you can’t stop the run, then you’re never going to stop the pass. The second thing is trying to take away the vertical threat.”

Taaffe isn’t worried about the hostile environment at Ohio State because he’s dealt with that kind of “underdog” pressure multiple times. But he explains that if Texas can’t shut down Ohio State’s running game, it makes everything else harder. Because then the Buckeyes can open up their passing attack and attack from all angles. That experience is fueling their preparation; they know they have to sharpen their killer instinct and sustain focus throughout the entire game. And the next task is disrupting OSU’s vertical threat. This means tight coverage, strong communication in the secondary, and making sure nothing behind the linebackers goes free.

In practice, the Texas defense has been working nonstop to master this balance. Taaffe admits that communication on defense is crucial, and sometimes those tiny details make the difference. Over the past few weeks, their communication during drills and games has improved. He also specifically mentioned Jeremiah Smith, one of Ohio State’s top offensive weapons, as a major threat. Taaffe and the Texas defense have studied Smith closely and are determined to limit his impact. Just like they did in the playoffs last year.