Of RJ Young
FOX Sports College football writer
Last September, Nick Saban joined Peyton and Eli Manning for a chat during Monday Night Football. While watching the ex Alabama quarterback Jalen hurts play against the Dallas CowboySaban took the opportunity to make a subtle recruiting speech on the air.
“I wish I was the manager in Alabama when Peyton and Eli Manning were rookies, so you guys could have played for Tide,” said Saban. “I would like to coach a member of the Manning family.”
For anyone who has lived under a rock, Peyton and Eli are the uncles of New Orleans high school quarterback Arch Manning, the No. 1 in the class of 2023 and the most popular recruit of the last two recruiting rounds.
Manning will make an official visit to Alabama this weekend after visiting Georgia last week. She will be visiting Texas next weekend for his he last official visit of the month.
Manning has the skills Saban has come to want in the second half of his Alabama tenure – he’s precise, mobile, intelligent, and humble. It’s also worth mentioning that Arch, who could make millions by licensing his name, image and likeness of him, said he doesn’t want any part of marketing himself for college money. He just wants to play.
And, boy, can he play.
After Saban saw Heisman winner Johnny Manziel dance all over the Crimson Tide defense in 2012, the Bama manager decided he wanted a quarterback who could too.
His offensive coordinator at the time, Lane Kiffin, began recruiting elite and athletic QBs. Since then, we’ve seen Blake Sims, Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, and Bryce Young demonstrate just how dangerous the Tide can be on offense even when play comes to a halt because the quarterback is a threat to run away.
Saban also focused on an attacking style that was less about ball control and more about scoring. Over the past five seasons, Alabama averaging over 40 points per game has become an expectation and the QB no longer manages but is actually present in the attack.
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Heisman Young’s reigning winner is the ultimate personification of Saban’s attack, and Manning’s skill set is similar. In fact, until earlier this month, it would have been fair to say Saban had the best chance of landing Manning.
Then Saban took a QB in class 2023: Louisiana native Eli Holstein is an outstanding prospect in his own right and can more than play the position at Tuscaloosa if given the chance.
With another QB in his class already engaged in Tide, Manning may not think he would get de facto approval like Young did in 2021. Only recently have we seen programs become comfortable with hiring more than one quarterback. in a recruiting class, but this also speaks to how some players feel not about the program but about each other.
Mac Jones took the ticket and took the round behind Tagovailoa, even though they were in the same signing class. It worked for both of us, but there was also no pressure for Jones to play right away.
Before the 2020 season, many believed that Young would be the star of week 1 as a true freshman. Instead, Jones led Alabama to a 13-0 record and their sixth national title in 12 years.
If you’re Manning, though, why risk not playing Tuscaloosa? Why wait your turn if it’s not necessary?
Is Alabama suitable for Arch Manning?
RJ Young discusses Alabama’s recruitment of prospect No. 1 in the country, Arch Manning. RJ explains why Alabama may not be the best fit for Manning if he wants to play as soon as possible.
Too often, fans want to accuse players of fear of competition rather than discussing a player’s decision to commit or not, to move or not, as a business decision. If you can be the best in a place with less competition and still achieve your goal – first round selection, win a national title – then why choose the more path resistence?
There is an argument that choosing Alabama is best for Manning because the Tides have proven over the past 15 years that the best prospects in the NFL Draft come from Tuscaloosa. Then there’s a topic that might interest Arch more: he wants to be the latest in a line of outstanding players to come out of Alabama and be part of a team that has won a national title ring for every player he’s signed with. the Tide since 2007?
Or does he want to become a legend?
RJ Young is a National College Football Writer and Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The show n. 1 in the standings with RJ Young. “Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Youngand subscribe to “The RJ Young Show“on YouTube. It’s not on a StepMill.
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