Arch Manning Has Coming-Out Party at Sugar Bowl Media Day

NEW ORLEANS — The Texas player sat on a metal bench in the middle of the Superdome, surrounded by more media members than anyone else on his or later the Washington football roster would attract.

He likely won't play a snap against the Huskies in Monday night's Sugar Bowl showdown, won't do anything more than warm up, stand on the Longhorns sideline and watch the College Football Playoff semifinal game play out.

Yet Arch Manning, who spent much of the season as Steve Sarkisian's third-string quarterback and appeared in just two games while getting his college baptism, was big news.

This was the first time the 6-foot-4, 212-pound freshman— the latest in a family of quarterback royalty — was permitted to speak to reporters and broadcasters since becoming a college player.

This Manning was raised in this always-wide-awake Louisiana city, as the son of the non-playing Cooper Manning (who got injured as a player), the nephew for the Super Bowl-winning Peyton and Eli and the grandson for his namesake, Archie, the former New Orleans Saints hall of famer.

The immediate impression of this kid after hearing him speak just a few words was he is extremely well put together, mature way beyond his teenaged years and seemingly prepared for just about anything that awaits him in football or otherwise. 

He's got piercing blue eyes, tousled hair, smiles easily. Oh yeah, he has sense of humor, too.

Arch Manning will tell you that Archie Manning, who played for the Saints in 1971-82 and became a household name before finishing up with the then-Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings, is the person he admires the most. 

"My granddad is my biggest role model," the grandson said as he gestured toward the Superdome. "It's cool being back where he played, where he ran around and got killed." 

As his Longhorns (12-1) prepare to meet the Huskies (13-0) with a national championship game on the line, what's changed for Manning is he's now the Texas back-up quarterback to sophomore Quinn Ewers, following the recent departure of redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy to Duke through the transfer portal. 

He's one play away from taking the field against Kalen Deboer's Husky defense should Ewers get injured or need a blow for any reason on Monday night.

Manning played only against Texas Tech during the regular season and Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship game, completing just 2 of 5 passes for 30 yards and scrambling three times for 7 yards. So he hasn't been totally exposed to this level of football.

Unlike his grandfather and uncle Eli, who played their college ball for Ole Miss, and uncle Payton, who branched out on his own to Tennessee, Arch Manning found Texas and its former UW football coach in Steve Sarkisian suitable for all of his quarterback needs.

"I think Sark keeps it real in how I fit into the offense," he said. "I like how Sark ran his team and I felt Texas was on an upward slope."

And the Longhorns, making no promises when landing his commitment 12 months ago, have brought Arch Manning back to his hometown and his grandfather's old haunts.