THIBODAUX, La. — In the middle of a sweltering June day in south Louisiana, Archibald «Arch» Manning, son of Cooper, grandson of Archie, nephew of Peyton and Eli, roams the fields of his ancestral homeland, the Manning Passing Academy, where quarterbacks are grown.
This is Year 29 of the MPA, and Arch's dad and uncles have been present for every one, beginning when Cooper had just graduated from Ole Miss, Peyton was a freshman at Tennessee and Eli was a camper as a sophomore in high school.
Archie, the patriarch of football's first family, surveys 48 of the best college quarterbacks in America — this year's counselors. There's one who stands out: A moppy-haired 6-4, 200-pound Texas Longhorns quarterback, who just happens to be his grandson.
«Arch has come full circle,» he said.
Archie, 76, has nine grandchildren. Eli's four kids in New York. Peyton's twins in Denver. But Cooper's three --May, who just graduated from Virginia, Arch, a junior at Texas, and Heid, a sophomore at Texas — all grew up in New Orleans and were constants in his life.
Arch, his namesake, is the one who has gone into the family business and today is a big day. Last year, Arch didn't compete in the skills competition or serve in any official capacity, wanting Quinn Ewers to represent Texas at the camp.
Now, Arch is the starter at Texas. But more importantly on this day, he's a Manning Passing Academy counselor. At the sight, Archie's memories start playing out in his eyes; he sees 4-year-old Arch, roaming the fields at Nicholls State, wearing an MPA T-shirt.
«He wore glasses when he was a little boy,» Archie said. «I can remember how excited he was when he first got to be a camper — eighth grade — a real camper, and stay in the dorm. I used to sneak
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