Neal McCready
You may have heard, but in case you missed it, Arch Manning is coming to town this weekend.
So, in anticipation of his visit, I dug around a bit, promised some sources some anonymity and tried to get some scoop. I think I succeeded. I learned a few things I didn’t know, confirmed some things I did and, I think, got a better feel for where things stand.
First, Manning’s recruiting has been well-planned and the family has been thorough in trying to execute the plan. Some of the process, per a source, has gotten a little overwhelming, and other parts, per a source, have been a little irritating. There are things the quarterback likes and there are things the family likes. There are also dislikes.
For example, I don’t think the family — and I’m referring to Cooper and Ellen here — have not been crazy with some of the Texas media that may have overplayed Arch’s visit to Austin. I’m quite sure the family isn’t wild about some of the media who have reported a narrowing of Arch’s list or a pecking order. There’s a belief that some media that has made the trip to New Orleans to do stories on Manning have manufactured stories somewhat. Unofficial visits typically go well. Manning’s have, but the narrative after trips to Austin and Athens that they were monumental game-changers is just inaccurate.
As of this moment, things are still pretty open. A decision hasn’t been made. Five programs — Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama and Clemson — are getting the hard looks and trips, but no one has ruled out the possibility of looking at another program if the mood leads to that or if the coaching carousel turns in such a way that Arch’s interest is piqued.
Is there a leader? One source familiar with the family’s thinking said there might be, but if there is, it’s a slight lead. This source believed Clemson led late summer, but he believes the Tigers’ season has altered that somewhat. He believes Alabama has faded a bit. He believes Texas is in a strong, but not commanding, position. He believes Ole Miss is absolutely in it, much stronger than media portray, and he knows Georgia made a very strong impression, though he’s sensed a bit that Manning might not be eager to just jump right in with a national championship program, that maybe he wants to be part of the build, not just part of the sustaining.
Arch likes Todd Monken and Matt Luke at Georgia. He really likes Brandon Streeter at Clemson. He’s very high on Ole Miss offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby. He likes Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian a lot, maybe the most of any of the head coaches recruiting him. He has a ton of respect for Nick Saban, obviously. As for Lane Kiffin, a source said while Kiffin isn’t the Manning family’s favorite head coach, they like him, have tremendous respect for his football acumen and have been impressed by what they’ve seen him do with Ole Miss and with quarterback Matt Corral, specifically.
The narrative that things are winding down, that a decision is close, is simply false, several sources said. That’s simply not the case. Manning will visit Clemson soon and then slow things down for a bit. He might go see a couple of programs again in December, but it’s likely he will wait until the spring to take another round of visits. A decision is expected before his senior season at Newman High School in New Orleans begins, but that window leaves room for a lot of time.
Manning has some heartstrings tied to Ole Miss. This weekend will be cool for the family, obviously. As I said on the podcast, the “red carpet” idea in the end zones, with the Manning name emblazoned into the turf for Saturday’s game with LSU, is sheer genius. It’s a reminder, in case he needed it, that his family is royalty in Oxford, that he could be part of something much bigger than himself.
But Arch isn’t making an emotional decision. He’s going to take his time, follow the plan and decide what’s best at some point next spring or summer.
And yes, NIL will be a big part of Manning’s future. Part of the Texas optimism is based on NIL, per two sources. The Longhorns believe a very lucrative — VERY LUCRATIVE — package would come together immediately if Manning signed with Texas. Georgia believes the same. So does Alabama. I suspect, based on what’s happened on Manning’s other visits, that topic will come up in a roundabout way during his weekend in Oxford.
However — and this is a big however — Manning’s name, thanks to his famous grandfather and his famous uncles, is so big that he will likely land massive NIL deals regardless of where he goes. In other words, would he get huge deals at Texas, Georgia or Alabama? Yes. Some believe he could garner as much as $10 million in deals quite quickly. However, he’d also be a national brand at Ole Miss, and the storyline of playing where his grandfather and his uncle once played would be easily marketable.
So, yes, this weekend is a big deal in Ole Miss’ pursuit of Manning. But no, it’s almost certainly not going to be a weekend that clinches the deal — or is an eliminator — for the Rebels, regardless of the outcome or how the Ole Miss offense performs.
My friend Mark Heim recently had Archie Manning and former Ole Miss quarterback/QB Country founder David Morris on his radio show in Mobile. Inevitably, those conversations steered toward Arch Manning.
“Arch is a sweet kid,” Archie Manning said. “He’s not caught up in it. He’s handling it real well. He’s enjoying the journey.
“Arch is a little bit more athletic than Peyton and Eli. He runs a little bit more.”
“Arch has some (Patrick) Mahomes-type creativity to him, Morris told AL.com, referring to the Kansas City Chiefs’ All-Pro quarterback. “Maybe, I should say he has some Archie-type creativity to him. Eli had some of that, too. Arch is a very talented kid that likes the getting-better process and doesn’t care for hype or exposure. He’s very grounded and just a great kid.
“Arch is a pocket QB. He would rather beat you throwing the ball, but he has a very unique ability to make plays outside the pocket. He does remind me of Eli and Peyton in the pocket. He has their mannerisms. Great feet. Plays with urgency. They were both great athletes.”
As he should have, Heim asked specifically about Arch Manning’s visit to Tuscaloosa. Manning was at Bryant-Denny Stadium for Alabama’s 42-21 win over Ole Miss earlier this month.
“He’s formed a really good relationship with Coach Saban,” Archie Manning said on Tuesday. “Coach Saban, obviously, is an excellent recruiter and a good man. I’m proud to call Nick a friend.”
The legendary Ole Miss quarterback said his grandson first met Saban on a Zoom call, then met him in person over the summer.
“Arch really likes the coaching staff over there. He’s familiar with a lot of players. That was fun for him to go. It wasn’t intentional for it be the Ole Miss game to visit Alabama. It was just the weekend his family could get over there.
“They had a good visit. Coach Saban spent some time with him. He really likes coach Saban and likes coach Bill O’Brien, the offensive coordinator.”
By the way, some continue to include LSU on Manning’s list of schools. I’m told that’s basically diplomacy. That could change, conceivably, depending on who LSU hires to replace Ed Orgeron at the end of the season, but Manning to LSU is highly, highly unlikely.
Of course, there are prospects other than Arch Manning headed to Oxford this weekend. He’s important, sure, but I’m not sure there’s a target more important than Jaheim Oatis coming to town. Oatis is committed to Alabama, but I’m hearing more and more that the Crimson Tide is not recruiting him very hard and that his final decision will come down to Mississippi State and Ole Miss.
The sense in and around Oxford is that this is a big weekend for Ole Miss with Oatis. It’s very close right now, but there are differences that are leading to some very guarded optimism for Ole Miss.
Mississippi State assistant Tony Hughes has been working Oatis since he was an eighth-grader and he’s built a strong relationship with people close to him. However, Ole Miss defensive line coach Randall Joyner has really impressed Oatis and certain family members, including Oatis’ mother, per sources. The feeling in Oxford is if this weekend goes well and the Rebels can get Oatis back to Ole Miss next month for the Texas A&M game, there is a very real shot to land the type of impact defensive lineman Kiffin was referring to a couple of weeks ago.
You’ll read a lot about Barion Brown in the coming weeks, and as of today, I do think there’s a flame that’s attached to all the Kentucky rumors. Chase Parham is writing more about NIL later in this piece, so I won’t belabor it here, other than to say NIL is a big deal and Ole Miss has to figure it out.
At the end of the day, assuming Ole Miss can assuage those fears regarding NIL, I do believe Brown likes Ole Miss’ offense more than the one being run at Kentucky. I’m told he knows Ole Miss is a better fit. Still, there’s work to be done, and if you made me bet today, I’d bet on the Wildcats.
Sources around the Ole Miss program feel better and more confident by the day about their chances for Trevion Williams. Mississippi State continues to work him hard, but all signs point toward Ole Miss right now.
I’m told Ole Miss continues to work on and make progress with Texas commitment/three-star Houston defensive lineman Kristopher Ross.
The Rebels are making a strong push for four-star offensive lineman Qaeshon Sapp. Sapp is committed to Florida State, but Ole Miss co-defensive coordinator Chris Partridge is really tied in at Leesburg (Ga.) High School and is working him very hard.
I’m sure Zach Berry has reported this, but Ole Miss is getting an official visit this weekend from Penn State commitment/Lafayette, La., defensive back Jordan Allen.
Mike Williams, a 2023 athlete from Natchez, Miss., will be in town this weekend and he’s expected to get a long look from Ole Miss coaches over the next few months. He’s likely a wide receiver at the college level.
Finally, 2023 four-star Raleigh, Miss., linebacker Suntarine Perkins will not be in Oxford this weekend, but that shouldn’t cause any panic. Perkins’ high school game was Thursday this week, and he has a school obligation he must attend Saturday.
Chase Parham
Neal covered quite a bit of ground with Arch Manning up above, but considering the weekend let’s throw a little more in there. Eli Manning, during the media opportunity with him yesterday afternoon, as asked about Arch’s visit to campus this weekend and his thoughts on it. There was no real information in there, but this is what he said:
“I’m excited for Arch and everything he’s going through. I have not seen him play in person just with everything going on. So I’ve been able to stream some games and talk to him and keep up with him. So I’m excited for him to just go through it. I told him just, ‘hey, just enjoy being a junior in high school. This is a great time in your life. Playing football with your best friends and guys that you’ve grown up with, and you’ve played little league baseball with, and you’ve played football at recess with, in your whole life. Try to win a state championship. You kind of keep the focus on that and you’ll figure out the right spot to go to college and everything after that.’”
I continue to hear that Ole Miss is making steady and methodical progress in Manning’s recruitment. Early on, there was a lot of scuttlebutt about the family’s impression of Lane Kiffin and the need for the head coach to sell the Mannings on him and the stability and trajectory of the program. Those murmurs have quieted in recent months, with a source telling me that those supposed concerns have been quieted or alleviated to an extent to not be a detriment.
It’s also important to remember in Manning’s recruitment that he has a mother and another side of his family. It’s easy to wonder about Eli and Arch and Peyton’s influences, but throughout the process, just in passing, I hear more about Ellen Manning’s thoughts than anyone else’s. They are going to let Arch make his own decision, and it’s worth nothing this isn’t some football-robot decision where the former players in the family dictate thought processes. Resources? For sure. The Mannings have been thorough with gathering information, following a plan and making a decision at the appropriate time.
It appears that the entire family is in town this weekend except for Peyton. I was told yesterday that he’s not here for the festivities. Eli didn’t mention Peyton yesterday other than to say they couldn’t do a Monday Night Football spinoff show for Ole Miss and Tennessee because Peyton was out of town. It sounded like he was at some level interested in the one-off college show, while Peyton either wasn’t or truly couldn’t fit it into his schedule.
It’s very likely Peyton had previously scheduled engagements last Saturday preventing it, but something about that and him not being here this weekend brought my mind back to all the talk about Peyton not being a huge fan of Kiffin. Now, it’s an easy thing to take shape because of the Tennessee history, and maybe it’s just the perfect environment for a bunch of rumors, but several people have mentioned Peyton having somewhat a resistance to Kiffin coming on the Monday Night Football show. (Kiffin would certainly draw eyes) Is that true? Hell I don’t know, and I certainly haven’t talked to Peyton about it. Maybe Kiffin shows up on Monday and this is a moot exercise, but the rumors don’t go away for whatever reason. Point of all this is that no matter what the opinion is of Peyton or Eli, this is an immediate family decision with plenty of knowledge to advise available from the uncles and grandfather. Cooper and Ellen are running Arch’s recruitment with him.
As you’re aware, I haven’t been following recruiting religiously for a while now, so when I started getting back in the game some this week, NIL is what continued to come up over and over again — mainly Ole Miss’ need to match what other schools are doing for the nation’s big-fish recruits. While NIL deals can’t be signed until a recruit is on campus, the availability and potential NIL companies are absolutely a main recruiting pitch and necessity with top-level prospects. There is some real concern in some Ole Miss recruiting circles about the infrastructure available for noteworthy NIL deals with the Rebels.
It’s absolutely something that needs improve and be addressed as Kiffin tries to continue to progress in the college football hierarchy. One source told me that NIL has caused certain schools to have in-roads with certain positions even more than normal — that the Alabamas and Georgias and Texases have the robust NIL plans that lead to greater chances with quarterbacks, defensive linemen and linebackers, the position groups that have also been the most hotly contested. There’s the fear that even if Ole Miss is leading or in good shape for prospects down to the end, NIL could be something that affects the ultimate outcome of where top prospects sign come time to put pen to paper. Maybe Ole Miss has ways to fix this. Maybe it’s being fixed. But it’s a concern that continues to pop up in my so-far limited conversations. It’s why I think Arch is critical for the Rebels, in that he brings instant NIL name value, and that would have a trickle down effect to some degree down the roster, even if just companies that Ole Miss could use to recruit other prospects with.
Maybe Kentucky has just made some crazy strides in the last 72 hours, but I started the week believing Alabama, Ole Miss and Michigan are then top contenders for Barion Brown, with my guess being the Rebels or Tide. Ole Miss is in it far more than it’s getting credit for, but I don’t have a great read on UK in this one, other than the Cats weren’t even in the picture at all to a reasonable degree a week ago.
Jaheim Oatis, considering the talent and the position of need, is the big immediate fish in town this weekend, and the Rebels have work to do for the Alabama commit. Since he’s here, there’s a chance to impress and put together the plan that could swing the top-100 prospect who committed to the Tide in April. MSU remains in the mix as well. While there’s a chance and a glimmer of hope, things will have to pick up for the Rebels here. Ole Miss needs to finish off the season well and present a plan for the program and the individual that dazzles. I’m not sure what my opinion is worth, but I’ll be surprised if it’s Ole Miss in the end for Oatis. No one I talked to gave me the warm and fuzzies. It’ll be interesting to check temperatures again after the weekend and see if anything has changed. It easily can.
Syracuse transfer wide receiver Taj Harris is in town this weekend for an official visit. The 6-foot-2 outside receiver also has offers from Texas A&M, Kentucky, Mississippi State and others, and he could be a key to Ole Miss retooling its wide receivers room. Harris had 58 catches for 733 yards and five touchdowns last season and played in three games this year for the Orange before deciding to transfer. He had six drops last year out of 101 targets, suffering from pretty awful quarterback play. By my quick count, he has two years of eligibility remaining.
You may have heard, but in case you missed it, Arch Manning is coming to town this weekend.
So, in anticipation of his visit, I dug around a bit, promised some sources some anonymity and tried to get some scoop. I think I succeeded. I learned a few things I didn’t know, confirmed some things I did and, I think, got a better feel for where things stand.
First, Manning’s recruiting has been well-planned and the family has been thorough in trying to execute the plan. Some of the process, per a source, has gotten a little overwhelming, and other parts, per a source, have been a little irritating. There are things the quarterback likes and there are things the family likes. There are also dislikes.
For example, I don’t think the family — and I’m referring to Cooper and Ellen here — have not been crazy with some of the Texas media that may have overplayed Arch’s visit to Austin. I’m quite sure the family isn’t wild about some of the media who have reported a narrowing of Arch’s list or a pecking order. There’s a belief that some media that has made the trip to New Orleans to do stories on Manning have manufactured stories somewhat. Unofficial visits typically go well. Manning’s have, but the narrative after trips to Austin and Athens that they were monumental game-changers is just inaccurate.
As of this moment, things are still pretty open. A decision hasn’t been made. Five programs — Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama and Clemson — are getting the hard looks and trips, but no one has ruled out the possibility of looking at another program if the mood leads to that or if the coaching carousel turns in such a way that Arch’s interest is piqued.
Is there a leader? One source familiar with the family’s thinking said there might be, but if there is, it’s a slight lead. This source believed Clemson led late summer, but he believes the Tigers’ season has altered that somewhat. He believes Alabama has faded a bit. He believes Texas is in a strong, but not commanding, position. He believes Ole Miss is absolutely in it, much stronger than media portray, and he knows Georgia made a very strong impression, though he’s sensed a bit that Manning might not be eager to just jump right in with a national championship program, that maybe he wants to be part of the build, not just part of the sustaining.
Arch likes Todd Monken and Matt Luke at Georgia. He really likes Brandon Streeter at Clemson. He’s very high on Ole Miss offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby. He likes Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian a lot, maybe the most of any of the head coaches recruiting him. He has a ton of respect for Nick Saban, obviously. As for Lane Kiffin, a source said while Kiffin isn’t the Manning family’s favorite head coach, they like him, have tremendous respect for his football acumen and have been impressed by what they’ve seen him do with Ole Miss and with quarterback Matt Corral, specifically.
The narrative that things are winding down, that a decision is close, is simply false, several sources said. That’s simply not the case. Manning will visit Clemson soon and then slow things down for a bit. He might go see a couple of programs again in December, but it’s likely he will wait until the spring to take another round of visits. A decision is expected before his senior season at Newman High School in New Orleans begins, but that window leaves room for a lot of time.
Manning has some heartstrings tied to Ole Miss. This weekend will be cool for the family, obviously. As I said on the podcast, the “red carpet” idea in the end zones, with the Manning name emblazoned into the turf for Saturday’s game with LSU, is sheer genius. It’s a reminder, in case he needed it, that his family is royalty in Oxford, that he could be part of something much bigger than himself.
But Arch isn’t making an emotional decision. He’s going to take his time, follow the plan and decide what’s best at some point next spring or summer.
And yes, NIL will be a big part of Manning’s future. Part of the Texas optimism is based on NIL, per two sources. The Longhorns believe a very lucrative — VERY LUCRATIVE — package would come together immediately if Manning signed with Texas. Georgia believes the same. So does Alabama. I suspect, based on what’s happened on Manning’s other visits, that topic will come up in a roundabout way during his weekend in Oxford.
However — and this is a big however — Manning’s name, thanks to his famous grandfather and his famous uncles, is so big that he will likely land massive NIL deals regardless of where he goes. In other words, would he get huge deals at Texas, Georgia or Alabama? Yes. Some believe he could garner as much as $10 million in deals quite quickly. However, he’d also be a national brand at Ole Miss, and the storyline of playing where his grandfather and his uncle once played would be easily marketable.
So, yes, this weekend is a big deal in Ole Miss’ pursuit of Manning. But no, it’s almost certainly not going to be a weekend that clinches the deal — or is an eliminator — for the Rebels, regardless of the outcome or how the Ole Miss offense performs.
My friend Mark Heim recently had Archie Manning and former Ole Miss quarterback/QB Country founder David Morris on his radio show in Mobile. Inevitably, those conversations steered toward Arch Manning.
“Arch is a sweet kid,” Archie Manning said. “He’s not caught up in it. He’s handling it real well. He’s enjoying the journey.
“Arch is a little bit more athletic than Peyton and Eli. He runs a little bit more.”
“Arch has some (Patrick) Mahomes-type creativity to him, Morris told AL.com, referring to the Kansas City Chiefs’ All-Pro quarterback. “Maybe, I should say he has some Archie-type creativity to him. Eli had some of that, too. Arch is a very talented kid that likes the getting-better process and doesn’t care for hype or exposure. He’s very grounded and just a great kid.
“Arch is a pocket QB. He would rather beat you throwing the ball, but he has a very unique ability to make plays outside the pocket. He does remind me of Eli and Peyton in the pocket. He has their mannerisms. Great feet. Plays with urgency. They were both great athletes.”
As he should have, Heim asked specifically about Arch Manning’s visit to Tuscaloosa. Manning was at Bryant-Denny Stadium for Alabama’s 42-21 win over Ole Miss earlier this month.
“He’s formed a really good relationship with Coach Saban,” Archie Manning said on Tuesday. “Coach Saban, obviously, is an excellent recruiter and a good man. I’m proud to call Nick a friend.”
The legendary Ole Miss quarterback said his grandson first met Saban on a Zoom call, then met him in person over the summer.
“Arch really likes the coaching staff over there. He’s familiar with a lot of players. That was fun for him to go. It wasn’t intentional for it be the Ole Miss game to visit Alabama. It was just the weekend his family could get over there.
“They had a good visit. Coach Saban spent some time with him. He really likes coach Saban and likes coach Bill O’Brien, the offensive coordinator.”
By the way, some continue to include LSU on Manning’s list of schools. I’m told that’s basically diplomacy. That could change, conceivably, depending on who LSU hires to replace Ed Orgeron at the end of the season, but Manning to LSU is highly, highly unlikely.
Of course, there are prospects other than Arch Manning headed to Oxford this weekend. He’s important, sure, but I’m not sure there’s a target more important than Jaheim Oatis coming to town. Oatis is committed to Alabama, but I’m hearing more and more that the Crimson Tide is not recruiting him very hard and that his final decision will come down to Mississippi State and Ole Miss.
The sense in and around Oxford is that this is a big weekend for Ole Miss with Oatis. It’s very close right now, but there are differences that are leading to some very guarded optimism for Ole Miss.
Mississippi State assistant Tony Hughes has been working Oatis since he was an eighth-grader and he’s built a strong relationship with people close to him. However, Ole Miss defensive line coach Randall Joyner has really impressed Oatis and certain family members, including Oatis’ mother, per sources. The feeling in Oxford is if this weekend goes well and the Rebels can get Oatis back to Ole Miss next month for the Texas A&M game, there is a very real shot to land the type of impact defensive lineman Kiffin was referring to a couple of weeks ago.
You’ll read a lot about Barion Brown in the coming weeks, and as of today, I do think there’s a flame that’s attached to all the Kentucky rumors. Chase Parham is writing more about NIL later in this piece, so I won’t belabor it here, other than to say NIL is a big deal and Ole Miss has to figure it out.
At the end of the day, assuming Ole Miss can assuage those fears regarding NIL, I do believe Brown likes Ole Miss’ offense more than the one being run at Kentucky. I’m told he knows Ole Miss is a better fit. Still, there’s work to be done, and if you made me bet today, I’d bet on the Wildcats.
Sources around the Ole Miss program feel better and more confident by the day about their chances for Trevion Williams. Mississippi State continues to work him hard, but all signs point toward Ole Miss right now.
I’m told Ole Miss continues to work on and make progress with Texas commitment/three-star Houston defensive lineman Kristopher Ross.
The Rebels are making a strong push for four-star offensive lineman Qaeshon Sapp. Sapp is committed to Florida State, but Ole Miss co-defensive coordinator Chris Partridge is really tied in at Leesburg (Ga.) High School and is working him very hard.
I’m sure Zach Berry has reported this, but Ole Miss is getting an official visit this weekend from Penn State commitment/Lafayette, La., defensive back Jordan Allen.
Mike Williams, a 2023 athlete from Natchez, Miss., will be in town this weekend and he’s expected to get a long look from Ole Miss coaches over the next few months. He’s likely a wide receiver at the college level.
Finally, 2023 four-star Raleigh, Miss., linebacker Suntarine Perkins will not be in Oxford this weekend, but that shouldn’t cause any panic. Perkins’ high school game was Thursday this week, and he has a school obligation he must attend Saturday.
Chase Parham
Neal covered quite a bit of ground with Arch Manning up above, but considering the weekend let’s throw a little more in there. Eli Manning, during the media opportunity with him yesterday afternoon, as asked about Arch’s visit to campus this weekend and his thoughts on it. There was no real information in there, but this is what he said:
“I’m excited for Arch and everything he’s going through. I have not seen him play in person just with everything going on. So I’ve been able to stream some games and talk to him and keep up with him. So I’m excited for him to just go through it. I told him just, ‘hey, just enjoy being a junior in high school. This is a great time in your life. Playing football with your best friends and guys that you’ve grown up with, and you’ve played little league baseball with, and you’ve played football at recess with, in your whole life. Try to win a state championship. You kind of keep the focus on that and you’ll figure out the right spot to go to college and everything after that.’”
I continue to hear that Ole Miss is making steady and methodical progress in Manning’s recruitment. Early on, there was a lot of scuttlebutt about the family’s impression of Lane Kiffin and the need for the head coach to sell the Mannings on him and the stability and trajectory of the program. Those murmurs have quieted in recent months, with a source telling me that those supposed concerns have been quieted or alleviated to an extent to not be a detriment.
It’s also important to remember in Manning’s recruitment that he has a mother and another side of his family. It’s easy to wonder about Eli and Arch and Peyton’s influences, but throughout the process, just in passing, I hear more about Ellen Manning’s thoughts than anyone else’s. They are going to let Arch make his own decision, and it’s worth nothing this isn’t some football-robot decision where the former players in the family dictate thought processes. Resources? For sure. The Mannings have been thorough with gathering information, following a plan and making a decision at the appropriate time.
It appears that the entire family is in town this weekend except for Peyton. I was told yesterday that he’s not here for the festivities. Eli didn’t mention Peyton yesterday other than to say they couldn’t do a Monday Night Football spinoff show for Ole Miss and Tennessee because Peyton was out of town. It sounded like he was at some level interested in the one-off college show, while Peyton either wasn’t or truly couldn’t fit it into his schedule.
It’s very likely Peyton had previously scheduled engagements last Saturday preventing it, but something about that and him not being here this weekend brought my mind back to all the talk about Peyton not being a huge fan of Kiffin. Now, it’s an easy thing to take shape because of the Tennessee history, and maybe it’s just the perfect environment for a bunch of rumors, but several people have mentioned Peyton having somewhat a resistance to Kiffin coming on the Monday Night Football show. (Kiffin would certainly draw eyes) Is that true? Hell I don’t know, and I certainly haven’t talked to Peyton about it. Maybe Kiffin shows up on Monday and this is a moot exercise, but the rumors don’t go away for whatever reason. Point of all this is that no matter what the opinion is of Peyton or Eli, this is an immediate family decision with plenty of knowledge to advise available from the uncles and grandfather. Cooper and Ellen are running Arch’s recruitment with him.
As you’re aware, I haven’t been following recruiting religiously for a while now, so when I started getting back in the game some this week, NIL is what continued to come up over and over again — mainly Ole Miss’ need to match what other schools are doing for the nation’s big-fish recruits. While NIL deals can’t be signed until a recruit is on campus, the availability and potential NIL companies are absolutely a main recruiting pitch and necessity with top-level prospects. There is some real concern in some Ole Miss recruiting circles about the infrastructure available for noteworthy NIL deals with the Rebels.
It’s absolutely something that needs improve and be addressed as Kiffin tries to continue to progress in the college football hierarchy. One source told me that NIL has caused certain schools to have in-roads with certain positions even more than normal — that the Alabamas and Georgias and Texases have the robust NIL plans that lead to greater chances with quarterbacks, defensive linemen and linebackers, the position groups that have also been the most hotly contested. There’s the fear that even if Ole Miss is leading or in good shape for prospects down to the end, NIL could be something that affects the ultimate outcome of where top prospects sign come time to put pen to paper. Maybe Ole Miss has ways to fix this. Maybe it’s being fixed. But it’s a concern that continues to pop up in my so-far limited conversations. It’s why I think Arch is critical for the Rebels, in that he brings instant NIL name value, and that would have a trickle down effect to some degree down the roster, even if just companies that Ole Miss could use to recruit other prospects with.
Maybe Kentucky has just made some crazy strides in the last 72 hours, but I started the week believing Alabama, Ole Miss and Michigan are then top contenders for Barion Brown, with my guess being the Rebels or Tide. Ole Miss is in it far more than it’s getting credit for, but I don’t have a great read on UK in this one, other than the Cats weren’t even in the picture at all to a reasonable degree a week ago.
Jaheim Oatis, considering the talent and the position of need, is the big immediate fish in town this weekend, and the Rebels have work to do for the Alabama commit. Since he’s here, there’s a chance to impress and put together the plan that could swing the top-100 prospect who committed to the Tide in April. MSU remains in the mix as well. While there’s a chance and a glimmer of hope, things will have to pick up for the Rebels here. Ole Miss needs to finish off the season well and present a plan for the program and the individual that dazzles. I’m not sure what my opinion is worth, but I’ll be surprised if it’s Ole Miss in the end for Oatis. No one I talked to gave me the warm and fuzzies. It’ll be interesting to check temperatures again after the weekend and see if anything has changed. It easily can.
Syracuse transfer wide receiver Taj Harris is in town this weekend for an official visit. The 6-foot-2 outside receiver also has offers from Texas A&M, Kentucky, Mississippi State and others, and he could be a key to Ole Miss retooling its wide receivers room. Harris had 58 catches for 733 yards and five touchdowns last season and played in three games this year for the Orange before deciding to transfer. He had six drops last year out of 101 targets, suffering from pretty awful quarterback play. By my quick count, he has two years of eligibility remaining.
