If you’ve watched a snap of college football lately, you know most eyes are glued to the Texas Longhorns’ quarterback room. The hype is out of this world, but can still be summarized in 2 words: Arch Manning. The crown jewel recruit and grandson of a football legend is set to start, and with that, the Manning name is resting as heavily on his shoulders as those championship expectations from Austin to SEC country. But we’re talking about college football here, guys. And here, with great surnames come great nepotism arguments

And those arguments around Arch have only gotten louder as Heisman odds put him at the top of nearly every sportsbook’s shortlist heading into 2025. His every move gets dissected because of that famous surname. Even Dan Patrick, in conversation with Chris Simms, couldn’t resist poking the elephant in the room. He asked Simms, “Okay, Arch Manning: Heisman trophy candidate, one of the top ones… if he was coming out after this year, the projections would be he would be a high, high pick…How much is this Arch Manning supposed to be Arch Johnson?”

That’s when Simms, who’s walked this line himself as the son of NFL legend Phil Simms, broke it down like only someone who’s lived it could. “Well, yeah, I mean, the Manning name helps that a little bit; it makes everybody feel warm and cozy,” Simms admitted. “You go, wait! Wait, this is in his DNA; he knows what to expect as far as football… It’s the family business. So yeah. Does that add a little bit… comfort level to evaluators and stuff like that? Sure. Do the names in his family also maybe boost him up to people, just to go, well, they were good? I think he’ll be good too. Sure.”

When you carry a legendary last name like Manning, the hype isn’t something you can easily shake off or ignore. It creates an instant spotlight, with every throw and every decision analyzed through the lens of your family’s history. We’ve got analysts like Paul Finebaum claiming Arch Manning could be the best college football player since Tim Tebow, and Manning hasn’t even started a season. How much of that is hype?

But Simms pushed further against the lazy narrative. “But I don’t think you get to this point with Arch Manning—and I experienced this too as Chris Simms, ‘Oh, you’re only here because you’re Phil Simms’ son.’… At some point, it has to become like the rubber hits the road, and whoa, Arch Manning maybe runs for 5. Ooh! Wow, he’s got a pretty quick release. Ooh, he’s got a strong arm and can really spin the ball. So I think there’s enough proof.” It’s the classic college football story: can you separate the legacy from the tape? As Simms put it, there’s no denying the Manning name “makes everybody feel warm and cozy” and smooths the path a bit. But the longer Arch plays under the lights of DKR, the less those whispered ‘nepotism’ charges seem to stick. The fact is, there’s only so far a last name will carry you. Sooner or later, you have to be able to “really spin the ball.”

So, Texas fans, are you ready to back the next chapter in the Manning family saga, or are you still wary that the headlines are outpacing the kid’s resume? And for the rest of college football, does Arch have what it takes to silence the ‘silver spoon’ critics for good when the games get real? One thing’s for certain: when the rubber meets the road this fall, only talent, not legacy, will keep Arch Manning on top of the college football world.

The ultimate recruiting magnet in Texas

When you’re building a college football powerhouse in the NIL era, the right quarterback can redefine how you attract talent to your program. That’s the exact scenario playing out in Austin, with Chris Simms highlighting just how much of a recruiting asset Arch Manning could be for the Longhorns. “They’re pumped about Arch Manning. I know that from talking to people firsthand down there,” Simms said, stressing that Manning’s presence alone has set a new tone among coaches, boosters, and future teammates alike.

He explained that Manning’s superstar reputation is already paying dividends beyond the box score. “One of the reasons they kind of like maybe pushed Quinn Ewers out the door was because of the potential, the talent of Arch Manning, and where he can bring the team and, you know, the whole program as itself,” he pointed out. It goes to show: when you have a quarterback with Heisman-level buzz and the Manning name, you’re setting up a recruiting pipeline where talent comes looking for you.

The biggest twist? As Simms observed, “Even the Longhorns are as famous and as awesome as they are; you have a quarterback like Arch Manning, and he’s in the Heisman conversation. You’re the number one team in the country—man, you might not have to pay all these guys as much to even come there after that, because everybody’s going to want to jump on the bandwagon.” In other words, Arch’s star power could turn Texas into a magnet for top prospects who want to play on the biggest stage, with or without a monster NIL deal. For Texas, that means building a culture where players line up to join the program, not just for the money, but to be part of something historic.