Despite the expectation and criticism, Manning remained loyal to the Longhorns. He knows just how well he fits in Texas and he wanted to do things the right way. In response to the criticism that Manning has received, former NFL star quarterback Cam Newton spoke out and did not hold back on the young Longhorns signal caller.

Former NFL MVP and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton came to the defense of Arch Manning amid criticism over his decision to spend two years as the backup to Quinn Ewers at Texas, saying that developing as a backup was a wise approach by Arch and his family.

Michael Shapiro is a sports reporter for Chron, covering the Astros, Rockets, Texans and every team in town. Michael is a Denver native and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, and a noted fan of pull-up threes, wide-receiver passes and a good hot fudge sundae.