Bill Belichick Upstages Arch At Manning Passing Academy, And Neither Have Job They Want Yet

THIBODAUX, Louisiana - Texas redshirt freshman quarterback Arch Manning drew quite a crowd, as usual, at the star-studded Manning Passing Academy media day at Nicholls State University here Friday.

He did draw the largest crowd at the College Football Playoff semifinal media day at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans last season, even though he has played in exactly two college games in his career, completing 2-of-5 passes for 30 yards.

But the crowd that slowly, cautiously formed around unemployed NFL head coach Bill Belichick Friday grew larger than Arch's as the player interviews wrapped up with some of the elite college quarterbacks around the nation. 

"No interviews," Belichick said politely at one point as a few grew close, including yours truly. Later, he waved off a few more who basically camped out near him. Belichick, whom the New England Patriots let go after last season, did shake hands with some reporters and fans.

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Manning, like the other quarterbacks, sat for 30 minutes and discussed what Belichick might have, if he would have done an interview - their job status. Both currently do not have the jobs they want - Manning as the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns and Belichick as an NFL head coach somewhere. And maybe girlfriend status for each?

Arch Manning showed a lot of promise in Texas' spring game last April 20, completing 19 of 26 passes for 355 yards and three TDs. (Getty Images)

Alas, Manning is expected to once again be the backup for Texas starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, who is here and will be a junior this season, but is expected to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm excited," Ewers said when asked about being in the NFL in 2025. "But first got to play well this year. But, yeah, excited for all the opportunities that are in front of me. Super blessed to be in the position that I'm in. I know a lot of people would want to be in this position. And I just try to think about that stuff every day. There's probably a million people who wish they were the quarterback at Texas and have the opportunity to go play in the NFL next year."

Yeah, like Arch.

And Belichick plans to be a part of ESPN's ManningCast during Monday Night Football this season with Arch's former NFL Super Bowl winning quarterback uncles Peyton and Eli Manning.

"There's nowhere else I want to be," Manning said Friday. "So, I'm sticking it out at Texas."

ARCH MANNING DOMINATES: Texas Backup Lights Up Spring Game

Manning showed flashes of what his future as Texas' starter may look like when he completed his first 10 passes in the Texas spring game last April 20, 11 of 13 in the first half and finished 19 of 26 for 355 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Ewers, meanwhile, played in just two series as Texas coach Steve Sarkisian wanted to get a long look at Manning.

And naturally, the questions as to why Manning just doesn't enter the NCAA Transfer Portal like so many thousands of others at a moment's notice and start somewhere immediately in the 2024 season. And that includes some of Manning's friends from his days at Newman High in uptown New Orleans. 

Cooper Manning (right) talks to his son - Texas backup QB Arch Mannin - before the Texas-TCU game on Nov. 12 at Texas in Austin. (Getty Images)

"Yeah, I'm sure people are like that, yeah, my buddies, too," Arch said. "There's always a lot of noise out there, but I like the situation I'm in. I'm in a good spot."

Arch's dad, Cooper Manning - the oldest son of Ole Miss legend and former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning - has heard from his friends, too, about his son just transferring already.

"I think there are a lot of people who are probably questioning why he would stick around," Cooper said. "And asking, ‘Why aren't you moving? Why aren't you going somewhere else?' But the grass is not always greener, you know. When you have children who are happy where they are, you don't mess with it. That's as simple as that."

And dad likes what he sees from Arch, who just turned 19 last April.

"Developing is the real key," he said. "Does he look different? Does he act differently than a year ago when he went to school? Yes, 100 percent as a person, as an independent guy, needing his parents less. Just growing up, and growing up the right way and being held accountable along the way."

Arch Manning Is Sticking At Texas, Period

One more year of not entering the portal, and Arch should be there as the Texas starter in 2025. But a transfer must be tempting. Grandpa Archie, who started immediately at Ole Miss as a sophomore in 1968 when freshmen were not eligible, understands the impatience of friends and fans. So does Uncle Peyton, who became the regular starter at Tennessee as a true freshman in 1994. And so does Uncle Eli, who sat for two years at Ole Miss in 1999 and 2000 before becoming the starter in 2001 as a redshirt sophomore. 

Archie Manning enjoys the win with his son, Denver QB Peyton Manning, after the Broncos beat New England in the AFC Championship game in Denver on Jan. 24, 2016. (Getty Images)

"But nothing's changed with Arch," Archie said. "Not one thing. But there's so much speculation. You see it right here. The portal is a popular thing. I kid about it inviting these quarterbacks back again. I invite them back, but I've got to find them. I don't know where they are. I got some of them here - they're on their third school."

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, for example, is at the Manning Passing Academy. He previously was at Central Florida and Oklahoma. Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart is here after previously playing at USC in 2021. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard is also here after playing in the previous four seasons at Kansas State.

"And that's OK," Manning said. "But it wasn't a consideration for Arch. He signed up two years ago to go to Texas, and he's never looked back."