Opinion: Let's Lessen Arch Manning's College Expectations ... For Now
What if Arch Manning simply isn't "it" at quarterback after all?
In a different reality, perhaps Manning — the most sought-after player in the country — chooses not to play football. Maybe he's interested in acting or baking. Who's to say that baseball, basketball, or even a solo sport like tennis isn't his calling.
In this version of the world we live in, Manning is set to play quarterback in 2023 at one certain program. Texas was the choice, despite tough pushes from Alabama and Georgia.
Both programs are consistent contenders for a national title, but Texas offered the best chance for Manning to start right away.
Then again, what if Manning simply isn't "it" by the time his college career is up? With the high rising demands set by those among fan bases and recruiters across the country, he may never be the standard.
Actually, he can meet the standard. Society needs to lower the larger-than-life expectations for a 17-year-old who has yet to play a down of college football, let alone announce he has elected to attend school for his education.
Make no mistake, Manning has the edge over any passer in the 2023 class. Coming from football royalty, few have left a last impact on the sport like the Mannings. Archie Manning — the patriarch — set the tone as the first franchise quarterback for the New Orleans Saints in the 1970s.
Uncles Peyton and Eli carried on the legacy both in college and the pros. Peyton set multiple records while at Tennessee before becoming the No. 1 overall pick in 1998 by the Indianapolis Colts. Eighteen years, five MVPs and two Super Bowls later, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame last August.
Eli followed a similar path to Archie, electing to play at Ole Miss over several top programs. Like Peyton, he too holds near every passing record in Oxford and went No. 1 overall in 2004. He also won a pair of Super Bowls and was a four-time Pro Bowl during his 16 seasons with the New York Giants.
Yes, Arch has much to live up to in carrying on the family name. He also is turning his own page and telling his own story, electing to play elsewhere than the "Manning holy ground."
The 6-4, 215-pound rising senior is still developing physically. His pocket awareness is second to none. So is his accuracy as the starter at Isidore Newman in New Orleans. He has a flair for creating something out of nothing and always can turn a negative into a positive.
All are tools needed to be a star quarterback at the next level. Several other passers in the class possess similar skills. Malachi Nelson (USC) of Los Alamitos, Calif. can sling it downfield like no one's business. So can Nicholaus Iamaleava (Tennessee) from Long Beach Poly, Calif., who might give Arch a run for his money as QB1 thanks to his footwork, anticipation and accuracy.
The difference between the two? Their last name isn't Manning. Arch's is.
With the added bonus of being a member of the football monarchs, the expectation rises for Arch. Should Nelson win the starting job in 2023 over Caleb Williams at USC and lead the Trojans to the College Football Playoff in his first year, he over exceeded the expectations.
With Manning committing to Texas and likely sitting a season behind Quinn Ewers, some consider it a lost year to his resume.
Say Iamaleava transforms the Volunteers from a seven-win roster to a consensus competitor in the SEC. Was that expected or rather warranted? For Iamaleava, it's a surprise.
For Manning, it's an expectation.
Texas is coming off a 5-7 season in the first year of the Steve Sarkisian era. Ewers, who initially was SI99's No. 2 QB prospect behind Cade Klubnik, is expected by many to win the starting nod over Hudson Card. With that, the expectation on the Forty Acres is eight-plus wins at the minimum.
Fans of the orange and white will expect Manning to come in right away and compete with Ewers. They might want him to win the job as well. Based on his last name, 10-wins should be the standard as a freshman, right?
Shouldn't a College Football Playoff appearance be expected as well? And a Heisman Trophy at 18? Why not, Arch?
"Peyton would have done it, why not you?"
"Eli would have had posted those numbers, so what's wrong with Arch?"
Comments such as these if Arch Manning struggled would be echoed in Austin.
They'd also be heard in Tuscaloosa. And in Athens. Or in Death Valley.
Clemson, College Station, Ann Arbor and other major college towns would be bellowing the same sentiment. Most certainly fans of the Volunteers and Rebels would add even more fuel to the fire simply due to the legacies set by those before him that donned the same surname.
Manning will need to earn the title of QB1, regardless of the Twitter scouts and message boards that have already declared him the second coming of Trevor Lawrence. Speaking of Lawrence, remember when he was dubbed "the next Andrew Luck" when taken No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft?
Another year, another No. 1 pick for the team that drafted the "safest quarterback prospect of all time."
Manning is now heading to Texas. He could be the next great passer, joining the likes of Vince Young, Colt McCoy, and Bobby Lane. He could lead the Horns to an SEC title as soon as 2025 — perhaps even a College Football Playoff or two.
Based on the hype train that has left the recruiting station, that would be an underachievement. Fans are expecting national titles — and yes, more than one — while finishing each year undefeated. He must be a Heisman finalist on the first snap of his career because Eli was. So was Peyton. As was Archie.
The weight of the world lays on Manning's shoulders put there by those setting expectations that the best quarterback prospects couldn't achieve in their dreams, let alone reality.
The reason? Family.
Imagine where he'd be with reasonable expectations and a different last name?
You can follow Cole Thompson on Twitter @MrColeThompson
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