Arch Manning said he "damn near bawled" crying on the Sunday after Texas football's loss to Florida on Oct. 17. How did Manning reset his mood in the subsequent week? By kicking up his feet and enjoying life's simple comforts.
Manning said Monday he queued up two premium pieces of 2000s pop culture last week. First up: a viewing of the 2004 movie Napoleon Dynamite, considered by some (including this reporter) as one of the great comedies this century. Manning then paired the film with the HBO comedy series Entourage, a staple in Manning's household.
"I've already finished it all," Manning said of the eight-season, 96-episode show that ran from 2004-11. "I'm back watching kind of sporadically, not any direction."
🍿 Important note on Texas' QB1: Arch Manning says he watched Napoleon Dynamite this week to put him in a good mood after back-to-back losses. https://t.co/bIxFhRaiLA
- Michael Shapiro (@mshap2) October 26, 2026
Manning isn't simply an Entourage fan. He says he's also a friend of Jeremy Piven, who plays Hollywood agent Ari Gold on the show. Manning and Piven met this summer at Piven's comedy show in Austin. A fast friendship followed, much to the delight of Texas' signal caller.
"I went to one of (Piven's) comedy shows this offseason with some guys on the team and he was hilarious," Manning said. "Got to talk to him before, we've kept up, talked on the phone. It's cool. He's probably my favorite character in all of television, Ari Gold.
"Being able to talk to Jeremy Piven and pick his brain, and you know, laugh, it's refreshing."
Manning and Piven stay in contact virtually. They also embraced in Austin on Saturday, celebrating together on the field after Texas' 34-27 win over Ole Miss.
Arch Manning says Ari Gold from Entourage is his favorite character in TV history. Manning is now on his 2nd watch of the HBO comedy starring Jeremy Piven: "I went to one of his comedy shows this offseason with some guys on the team and he was hilarious. Got to talk to him before, we've kept up, talked on the phone." "It's cool. He's probably my favorite character in all of television, Ari Gold, so being able to talk to Jeremy Piven and pick his brain, I guess, and you know, laugh, is refreshing."
- Michael Shapiro (@mshap2) October 26, 2026
What a game ! First met Arch backstage at one of my shows, he revealed how Entourage has been an inspiration to him. Really grateful that it's being shared with the guys who have next https://t.co/GtoqQl7eh9
- Jeremy Piven (@jeremypiven) October 25, 2026
Texas' quarterback is perhaps the most popular player in college football. He has at least one Hollywood star in his corner, a friendly face with plenty of experience on the national stage.
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This article originally published at Texas football QB Arch Manning says this Hollywood star is among those in his corner.