Urban Meyer considered Nick Saban‘s decision to bench the second-year starter Jalen hurts for real newbies Tua Tagovailoa at the halfway point of 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship one of the “boldest” coaching moves of all time.

But when asked about Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian might be inclined to make a similar move with Junior Quinn Ewers and applauded support Arch Manning this evening College Football Playoffs national semi-final vs. Ohio StateMeyer wasn’t quite ready for the start of the Manning era.

Get your team’s official College Football Playoff watch from AXIA by CLICKING HERE: “Clocks that tell so much more than just the time”

“That’s the thing about Arch: I think he’s going to be a great player. I want to say something now that I don’t want to offend anyone (or imply) that they won’t be a great player. He will be a great player. But when I watched – and I did, I went back and looked at some of his tapes – it wasn’t like he was overwhelming.” Urban Meyer Friday said The Herd with Colin Cowher on FS1. “It’s not like he comes in and just blows the doors off everyone else. So I don’t see this as drastic (difference to Ewers).

“I believe Arch Manning“At some point it will be a high draft pick and all that, but that time hasn’t come yet,” Meyer continued. “So I think (Sarkisian) is doing the right thing Quinn Ewerswho won the big games. Do you do that? Nick Saban (replacing Hurts for Tagovailoa), which in this scenario is one of the boldest moves I’ve ever seen? Only Sark knows this because we are not privy to the practice and what Arch is truly capable of. What I saw (from Manning) is that he has a great future, but right now Quinn Ewers is their best chance to win.”

Ewers started every game this season and narrowly led the Longhorns (13-2) to victory in the CFP National Championship game while throwing for 3,189 yards on 66.5% passing and 29 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. Manning appeared in nine games, twice as a replacement for the injured Ewers, and threw for 939 yards and nine touchdowns to two interceptions and four rushing scores this season.

Still, similar to the Hurts-Tagovailoa dilemma, some Texas fans have called for Manning — the former No. 1 overall QB in 2023 — to take over the QB1 reign sooner rather than later.

Meyer is clearly not in this particular camp.

No. 8 seed Ohio State is currently a 5.5-point favorite over the fifth-seeded Longhorns tonight Cotton bowl national semifinals (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.