"I want this to be a 1975 recruitment": ESPN analysts reveals Arch Manning's father Cooper's demand prior to Texas commitment

Arch Manning is preparing for his first season as Texas’ starting quarterback, entering with arguably more expectations than any quarterback has ever faced. As a Manning, he is seen as the one to continue the family legacy built by his grandfather Archie and uncles Peyton and Eli.

That said, Arch was also a highly sought-after recruit coming out of high school and has already displayed moments of real potential in limited playing time at Texas.

According to ESPN’s Seth Wickersham, the Manning family took two key steps to shape Arch into a possible future NFL superstar. The first was banning social media, which explains why Arch had no online presence early on.

The second involved his father, Cooper Manning, meeting with Nelson Stewart, Arch’s high school football coach at Isidore Newman in New Orleans. Stewart recalled that Arch became the first freshman in the school’s history to start a season opener.

When Arch entered his sophomore year, Stewart and Cooper had a discussion on his future.

"What do we want this to look like?" Stewart asked Cooper.

"We're gonna do a 1975 recruitment," Cooper replied. "I want you to run point. Very old-school."

Cooper then added one more condition: there should be no scholarship offers and as little interaction with the media as possible. Stewart recalled a time when Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin came to his office ready to extend Arch an offer, but he had to decline because of Cooper’s restrictions.

Even as Arch began visiting powerhouse programs like Alabama, Georgia, Texas and Ole Miss, Cooper admitted that he liked Virginia because it wasn’t football-obsessed, which would allow Arch to live more quietly.

However, Arch himself ultimately made the call. Stewart remembered Arch once reaching out to tell him he wanted to commit to Texas, especially due to the fact that Steve Sarkisian would be both the head coach and the play-caller. Arch stayed true to the decision and committed to the Longhorns on June 23, 2022.

Ex-NFL star Matt Simms weighs in on Arch Manning’s rising hype

While quarterbacks like Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier are generating interest ahead of the 2025 season, the spotlight on Arch Manning remains unmatched.

Former NFL quarterback Matt Simms had his verdict on the unmatched hype.

“Of course, we know the pedigree, but his greatest advantage (is) not only just his physical skill sets, but the fantastic coach that will be leading him right in this charge,” Simms said (via SI). "Even though there were some times where he had some speed bumps when he played last year, he still made a lot of really good decisions."

Off the field, the Texas quarterback is also dominating the NIL landscape, as he leads all of college football with an estimated $6.8 million valuation (according to On3).