We all know the family legacy Arch Manning has to live up to. His grandfather Archie and uncles Peyton and Eli were all star quarterbacks in college, and in the NFL for that matter. All three of his famous family members had big junior seasons in college football. But Arch has a chance to have the best junior campaign of them all.
Arch became the full-time starter at the beginning of his sophomore year. While he had his struggles in the first half of the season, the New Orleans native finished the season looking more like the blue chip QB Texas fans hoped he'd be.
The UT QB finished the year with 3,163 yards passing, 36 total touchdowns and seven interceptions. He led Texas to a 10-3 record. Baring injury, Arch should have even better stats his junior year. Especially with arguably the best wide receiving corp in the nation.
Arch Manning's numbers compare favorably with his family's junior seasons:
- Archie Manning1969: 1762 yards passing, 23 total TDs, 9 INTs
- Peyton Manning 1996: 3,287 yards passing, 23 total TDs, 12 INTs
- Eli Manning 2002: 3,401 yards passing, 23 total TDs, 15 INTs
Archie started in the late-60s when the passing game wasn't as open as it is now. Still, he was the SEC's MVP during his junior year in 1969. He was also the Walter Camp Trophy winner and fourth in Heisman voting. Archie was the No. 2 pick in the 1971 NFL Draft and was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Arch's Uncle Peyton was a star at Tennessee. His junior campaign in 1996 featured 3,287 passing yards, 23 total touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He was eighth in Heisman voting after a 10-2 season. It was widely thought Peyton would enter the NFL Draft after his junior year, where he was projected as the No. 1 pick. But in a big event at Thompson-Boling Arena, Peyton he announced he would return to Tennessee for his senior year.
Peyton was the No. 1 pick in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017. Peyton and Archie are the only father-son duo in the CFB HOF.
Uncle Eli's 2002 Ole Miss team was 7-6 his junior year. Eli was by far the Rebels best player. He finished the season with 3,401 passing yards, 23 total touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Eli also returned to Oxford for he senior year and was also the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft by the Chargers. Eli refused to play for San Diego and was traded to the New York Giants.
With passing games even more sophisticated now than in the late 1990s/early 2000s, Arch was close to his famous family during his sophomore year, even though he struggled early. Its a good bet he'll have the best junior numbers in family history in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Can Texas' Arch Manning top junior seasons of Peyton, Eli and Archie?