Why Arch Manning didn't go to Tennessee to follow in uncle Peyton's footsteps?

The No. 1 Texas Longhorns get their first road test this week, set to take on the No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville. This will also be an interesting game for Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, playing his first game away from home this season.

But this will also be Manning's first time playing in Knoxville at Neyland Stadium, where his uncle, Peyton Manning, is a Vol legend.

His presence in the stadium might have some fans wondering why Arch didn't follow in his uncle's footsteps to play for the Vols. 

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Why didn't Arch Manning go to Tennessee?

Manning played high school football where his uncles Peyton and Eli also did, Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, La. Per the 247Sports Composite, Manning was rated as the No. 1 overall player from the class of 2023, as well as the top-rated signal caller. 

According to an interview with Arch's father, Cooper, schools like Ole Miss, LSU, Duke, Tennessee and Georgia were some of the most interested schools when he was a freshman.

As his high school career progressed, Manning and his family kept most of his recruiting process under wraps. But as things developed in high school, Alabama, Clemson, Ole Miss—where his grandfather Archie and Eli played— as well as Georgia and Texas were reportedly  the favorites.  

One of the biggest reasons Manning was drawn to Texas was head coach Steve Sarkisian. According to Arch, his experience developing both at the collegiate and NFL level was big.  

"I like Coach Sark a lot and his staff," Manning said via 247Sports in April 2021. "I think they are going to get it going in the next few years, and I'm excited to see what they can do. Obviously, he's a freak of a coach with what he did at Alabama and the Falcons and everywhere else. He knows how to coach quarterbacks. He's actually just a real nice guy and really laid back, and I like him a lot."

The summer going into his senior season, he took visits to Texas, Alabama and Georgia. 

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As for Tennessee, the Vols did offer Manning in early 2021, per Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel. But according to Heupel, who was hired in Jan. 2021, his coaching staff was still in the early days, and Manning's recruiting had already been solidified elsewhere.

Heupel replaced former Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt, who was fired after an UT internal investigation into alleged recruiting violations. 

“It was the beginning stages of when we initially got here to Tennessee as a staff,” Heupel said earlier this week via A to Z Sports. “We talked to him, a few times, but it had moved pretty quickly where he had kind of narrowed it down.

“But I’ve known different members of their family for a long time, Peyton and their dad. [I have] a ton of respect for that family. Obviously, you can look at the success of them as quarterbacks, but just who they are as people. They’re as good as they get.”

As Manning was narrowing down his choices, he also reportedly became close with former Longhorns safety Michael Taaffe, as well as Longhorn targets in Connor Robertson and Johntay Cook.    

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In June 2022, Manning officially committed to Texas, and later signed with the Longhorns that December. 

As for Tennessee, the Vols signed blue-chip quarterback Nico Iamaveava instead. His recruitment to Tennessee resulted in an NCAA investigation into NIL violations in 2024, which nearly resulted in him missing time. Instead, the school sued the NCAA and won, making the organization essentially inept in enforcing NIL restrictions. 

Iamaleava transferred to UCLA in April 2025 after spending just two seasons in Knoxville. This season, the Vols are led by star true freshman Faizon Brandon, who has thrown for 552 yards with six touchdowns and zero interceptions so far. 

While it would have been cool to see Arch playing at Tennessee like his uncle Peyton did, the Vols fell victim to unfortunate timing.

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