"Arch Madness Has Arrived"

Welcome to Austin, Texas; home of great slow cooked brisket seasoned 
with salt and pepper. Beef is king in the heart of many Texans if you 
asked them. In the fall, Austin becomes a main attraction for football. 
Great players and teams are assembled to compete for national 
championships. Having one of the best young prospects with a name 
you should know.

Meet Arch Manning, the nephew of NFL hall of fame quarterback and 
two time Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning, followed by his other 
uncle whose defeated Tom Brady in two Super Bowls Eli Manning. 
Grandfather Archie Manning and son of Cooper Manning. Yes, the 
namesake carries legacy and championship pedigree. With that comes 
high expectations of continuing greatness paved before him. 

A five star recruit who had multiple offers from the nation's biggest 
programs. It was a tight-lipped matter to avoid media coverage and 
being used for a pawn in sports media. Viewing Texas as the program of 
choice to build his own legacy. Not attending his uncle's former schools, 
Manning is focused on developing and being one of the top 
quarterbacks in college football.

The journey of starting hasn't been easy; being quarterback number two 
at Texas behind former starter Quinn Ewers; who led the Longhorns to 
the college football playoff in 2024. Sitting and learning while playing in 
a couple clean-up games in blowout wins. Manning's desire to be the 
guy and face the criticism head-on. In a tough SEC, it's no little boys in 
flag football. A power conference in which great quarterback play and 
strong defenses are needed for success.

All off-season, the Longhorns were dubbed the number one team in 
college football preseason rankings. With Manning leading the way, 
expectations are very high and mistakes are limited in competing for a 
national championship. Leading up to his regular season debut in one of 
the toughest stadiums to play, "The Horseshoe" better known as "Thee 
Ohio State Buckeyes." Defending national champions in a hostile 
environment, Manning had all eyes on him.

Jitters and nervousness got the best of Manning, as he missed easy 
routine throws. Processing a Buckeyes defense coached by former NFL 
defensive coordinator and Bill Belichick savant Matt Patricia, Manning 
looked lost and confused. Falling behind 14-0 in a very conservative 
game, Manning threw a touchdown to cut the lead to 14-7 late in the 
fourth quarter. By then, it was too late and out of time; but nothing to be 
ashamed of.

In hindsight, Manning has faced his toughest hurdle to open the 
season. All the hype, media coverage of Texas being ranked number 
one and combatting the defending national champion. It's what comes 
with the namesake and how you handle pressure. This was just the 
beginning of what fans can see with Manning leading the Longhorns. 
With SEC play on deck in the coming weeks, jumping one tough hurdle 
will prepare for those grueling matchups versus Florida, Oklahoma, 
(Red River Rivalry Game in Dallas, Texas) Kentucky, Mississippi State, 
Vanderbilt, Georgia, Arkansas and in state rival Texas A&M, the 
Longhorns can easily find themselves in Atlanta for the SEC title game. 

It's a long season and Manning will need all the reps to surpass any 
expectations have before him. The talks of being a potential number 
one pick in next year's NFL Draft will heat up around December. He 
holds the leverage in staying to develop his craft. If 2025 ends pretty 
high, the decision will be his to make. For now, let the young man be 

himself and create his own path to greatness. With two uncles who 
played quarterback in the toughest conference and winning a combined 
four Super Bowls, the younger Manning is in quarterback heaven. 

Stai tuned.