Article Highlights:
- High school quarterback Arch Manning reportedly has the Alabama Crimson Tide among his top choices
- Arch, the son of Cooper and nephew of Peyton and Eli, is not expected to announce his decision until some point in 2022
- The class of 2023 quarterback could be the next great Crimson Tide gunslinger
College football fans are eagerly waiting to see where Arch Manning decides to go to school. Nothing says American sports like caring where a high school junior plans to attend college.
Arch, the son of Cooper and nephew of Peyton and Eli, has some of the country’s top college football programs vying for his letter of intent. Although we’re still a few months away from any potential decision, let’s just say that Alabama fans should start getting their custom jerseys designed.
Arch Manning reportedly has Alabama among his top choices
If ESPN televises a college football game, it either means there’s nothing on television that night, or there’s a significant name or team involved. You can probably guess why ESPNU traveled to Louisiana to air Manning and Isidore Newman’s game against Berkeley Prep, a Florida school.
Manning completed 18 of 35 passes for 209 yards, one touchdown, and an interception in the 49-24 loss. He also broke off a 68-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter.
Understandably, all of the buzz around that game involved Isidore Newman’s junior quarterback. ESPN analyst Mark Schlabach provided a significant update on Manning’s college recruitment during the broadcast.
“From what people have told me around Isidore Newman, I think he’ll wait for the [college] coaching carousel to settle down after this season. And then go out and make his official visits and come up with a decision late next spring or summer. But certainly, Texas, Georgia, and Alabama seem to think they’re in a pretty good position.”
With Georgia’s football team on a bye last week, Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart attended the game.
The fun of recruiting is that nothing really matters until the prospect arrives on campus — and in the era of the transfer portal, even them enrolling doesn’t guarantee they’ll be there for long.
With that cynical disclaimer aside, Crimson Tide fans should be feeling good about their chances of landing Manning. It certainly helps that Texas, for all of its history and branding, is a mostly irrelevant program compared to Alabama and Georgia. The Longhorns haven’t reached the College Football Playoff since its inception in 2014; the Crimson Tide, conversley, have six appearances and defeated Georgia, 26-23, in the 2017 National Championship Game.
Bryce Young, Alabama’s current starting quarterback, is eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft. His possible departure at that time would coincide with Manning’s arrival, and Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban isn’t afraid of giving a true freshman quarterback an opportunity. Just ask Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa.
If Alabama is still in the running, it makes one think Manning is thinking beyond who will be his offensive coordinator or what his weapons will look like. He’s thinking about joining a premier college football program and using his dual-threat skills to continue a dynasty.
Keep an eye on Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss (or LSU)
Although Schlabach didn’t name them among those who think they’re in a “pretty good position,” Clemson and Ole Miss are both among those reportedly in play for Manning.
Keep an eye on Ole Miss or wherever Lane Kiffin is coaching come 2022. The Crimson Tide’s former offensive coordinator has been linked to Manning in recent months and recently hosted the top prospect for an Oct. 23 victory over LSU.
Ole Miss also honored Eli Manning at halftime and retired his No. 10. Something tells us those events happening on the same day didn’t happen by accident.
Kiffin has emerged as a possible candidate in recent weeks to replace LSU’s Ed Orgeron after this season. If the offensive mastermind switches schools, he could keep Manning in Louisiana and still allow him to make a name for himself in the SEC.
Welcome to the recruiting world, where no one knows anything until the player is on campus and happy. Even then, we still don’t know anything.
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