Paul Finebaum Snaps at ESPN Analyst Over Arch Manning Debate

The pressure on Texas quarterback Arch Manning may be as high as anything the sport has ever seen.

He hails from a family that features three NFL quarterbacks, all of whom were stars, two of whom won two Super Bowls apiece. There are frequent debates over whether he is truly talented or if people are giving him the benefit of the doubt because of his uncles, Peyton and Eli Manning.

However, the former No. 1 overall recruit did show flashes of being a true dual threat in his two starts last season, so much so that ESPN's Paul Finebaum said, “Arch Manning is the best college football quarterback we have seen since Tim Tebow entered the scene in 2006.”

His take has not been well-received by most in the industry, and on Friday, ESPN's Harry Douglas made the case for it being too soon to say that about Manning. Something that led to Finebaum getting a little testy in defense of his take.

"Well, no. I was entertained by what Harry said, but he must have copied that off of Heather's article as well, because what I said I believed in very much,"Finebaum said. "I am amazed at how so many of the pundits this week have made so much out of this. It was it was Dan, you were here. You asked me the question. It was a simple question. I gave an answer and I stick to it. Enough of this already.

"Arch Manning is so prepared. That's the one thing I do agree with Harry. He's well prepared. That's why he is going to be in New York at the end of the season on the front row.”

SEC Nation analyst Paul Finebaum looks on prior.

Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images.

Finebaum's belief in Manning will be put to the test early, as the Longhorns open the season against the defending-champion Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus.

It isn't often that Finebaum is willing to ride for someone as much as he has Manning, so clearly the Texas gunslinger who threw for over 900 yards and nine touchdowns did something right last season.