The Recruiting Battle Ole Miss Lost That Still Impacts the Program Today

Things could be very different around Oxford if Arch came to town

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) on the field for warm ups before the Ohio State and Texas game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Aug 30, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In most instances, college football teams are characterized more by players that they miss out on in recruiting than those they sign. In the case of Ole Miss, the biggest recruiting loss in recent times would have to be the Arch Manning saga.

While missing out on any five-star recruit can be quite frustrating for a team, the fallout from losing the most famous recruit in the country had far-reaching implications.

Arch Manning - Texas Quarterback

Texas' quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs with the ball against Texas Tech in a Big 12 football game, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Given that he was the grandson of Ole Miss icon Archie Manning, along with his uncles being legends in the NFL, one would think Arch had strong roots in Oxford.

But it turned out that even though there were high hopes that Ole Miss could get their man due to his familial relations, after the most publicized recruiting process in football history, Manning signed on with Texas in the summer of 2022.

The loss was a significant blow to the fans of Ole Miss and the Oxford community, not just because of the abilities of Manning, but because of what their commitment would have meant.

The recruitment of the No. 1 overall player would have increased the national recognition of the team, improved future recruiting classes, and send a message to rival schools that Ole Miss could be competitive for top players year after year.

To Ole Miss's credit, head coach Lane Kiffin made a strong response.

Instead of letting the failure shape the Ole Miss team, Coach Kiffin took advantage of the transfer portal by getting Jaxon Dart and following him up with Trinidad Chambliss, and constructed strong teams using transfers rather than just sticking with high school recruits.

This approach paid off instantly and delivered the Rebels' first 11-win season in program history and first CFP ticket in program history.

Nonetheless, the lack of Manning becomes an interesting "what if" scenario in Ole Miss history. With head coach Lane Kiffin gone, one of the reasons Arch didn't commit to the Rebels in the first place, it is interesting to see how things might've been different in Oxford over the past four years.

Ole Miss is still competing at a top level within the SEC and shows that there are many ways to build a team. The Rebels have taken an approach to building their squad through recruiting as well as transfers, which allows them to stay competitive in one of the toughest football conferences in the country.

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