Who would not love some praise from one’s head coach? Arch Manning has been lucky in this case. The Texas Longhorns head coach, Steve Sarkisian, seems to be content with Manning’s growth. “I don’t think that I could have predicted a better way for this to go for him to where he’s grown exponentially, not only on the football field, but as a leader, as a person.” However, nothing beats the feeling of making one’s family proud.

In Arch’s case, the desperation is 100x more. After all, he is the one carrying the flag of the blue-blooded Manning legacy. The 21-year-old without fail raged through the gridiron at his family’s Manning Passing Academy football camp in Thibodaux on Friday, June 27. This event was another example of the strong support system that Arch has behind him, as the former Newman standout preps himself up to be on the driver’s wheel of the Longhorns’ wagon. 

On June 27, CFB insider CJ Vogel tweeted a clip of Manning’s heroic feat. The caption read,  “Coach Jon Gruden setting up in front of Arch Manning’s warm-ups ahead of the Friday Night Lights portion of the Manning Passing Academy.” The former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden was spotted standing with his hands on his hips as he had his watchful eyes on Arch’s throws before the main event. Was the quarterback good enough? Well, when he got a seal of approval from his granddad, Archie Manning, Arch definitely must have done his job well. The second overall pick in the 1971 NFL draft came up with a clean chit for his grandson.

On being asked whether Arch is a “good guy” or not, Archie shared, “He’s really kind of a gym rat, so he likes to work out. He’s gotten bigger, stronger, maybe faster, I’m not sure. He got to play some, which was a plus for him. He got to get out there as a full-time starter, he did get experience, he learned things, he learned things in game, he can’t learn at practice. So, we are excited for Arch, hoping he is staying healthy.”  

Well, Arch has some early memories dropping in at the Manning Passing Academy when he was 4 or 5 years old, when he hung around with his dad. His journey then accelerated with being a camper in the seventh grade, having Jake Fromm and Trevor Lawrence as his counselors. Now that he has returned as a counselor, it’s a full-circle moment for Arch. And his dad could not be any prouder, as Cooper Manning took up the mic and kept hyping his quarterback son. While he soaks up all the hype, there stands one blockade. 

Arch Manning has to write his own college script first

Arch Manning might already be keeping his eyes on the end of the road. On April 18, New Orleans Saints insider Nader Mirfiq tweeted a teaser with the caption, “2026 NFL Mock Draft. 👀⚜️.” The projection read, “By the 2026 NFL Draft, the Saints could be looking for a young quarterback to replace Derek Carr.” Even before April, back in March, Arch’s NFL buzz started to do the rounds after he was spotted catching up with Los Angeles Rams General Manager Les Snead at Texas Pro Day. However, Arch’s NFL dreams must be put on hold now.

Right now, he has some unfinished business in college football. The next biggest assignment right now is lifting the Heisman Trophy, and that’s when Oklahoma’s John Mateer might scare him a little. Why so? In the race of ‘proving himself,’ Arch has been left far behind by the Sooners quarterback. As Steve Spurrier threw some shade at the Texas quarterback’s way, “Most people picking Texas to win the SEC. They’ve got Arch Manning already winning the Heisman, too. My question is: If he was this good, how come they let Quinn Ewers play all the time last year? And he was a 7th-round pick.” 

No matter how high Arch is riding with +700 Heisman odds, and Mateer at +2500, the looming concern for the Longhorns’ quarterback was then doubled down by Sooners’ insider George Stoia. “Do you want somebody who’s a little bit more proven? Then you take John Mateer. I think his pairing with [Ben] Arbuckle makes a lot of sense. Or do you want the guy with tremendous upside, a guy that you know could be a number one pick in the NFL draft next year, obviously, the lineage that Arch Manning has? But could also his floor might be lower? I think for Oklahoma in such a pivotal season, you take the guy whose floor is maybe a little bit higher, and that’s John Mateer. So I’m gonna lean Mateer.”

Arch Manning had to run to and fro last season. As his action was limited, he came up with a 66.3% completion rate, racking up 969 yards and 9 touchdowns. John Mateer, on the other hand, led all FBS players with 29 touchdowns, thanks to his skills as both a passer and a runner, gaining 3,139 total yards. The Oklahoma Sonner refused to leave Arch alone, even at the Manning Passing Academy. Mateer was spotted on the same route. So, Arch must have this written on his vision board: ‘No NFL pride without college proof’. Arch has to earn his stripes.