Published 10/03/2022, 10:00 AM EDT
Schools do their best to gain the best prospect they can. And now the most coveted prospect for many was the nephew of the legendary QBs Peyton and Eli Manning, Arch Manning. Surely, many must know by now that the nephew of such an outstanding quarterback in the league would not be less than impressive. Therefore, to gain him on their roster, the University of Texas blew thousands of dollars to secure the 18-year-old.
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Manning visited Texas thrice before. Since the two weekends in June were his official visit to Texas, the university reportedly treated him like royalty. And use all of its means to try to win over the most sought-after quarterback recruit in decades.
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A high-end hotel. A free drink for parents. An endless supply of food and amusement. Manning was one of nine prospects who received top-notch care during their 48 hours in Austin; all of which was covered by the school’s sizable recruiting fund. For recruiting trips, the sports department shelled out over $630,000. Which is an insane amount of money!
According to The Athletic report, Texas made $65,000 before recruits arrived on campus after paying for travel, lodging, and meals for the recruits, their families, and the coaches and staff. In order to keep recruits engaged while photo shoots were taking place, nearly $4,000 was spent renting speakers. At a lunch, an ice sculpture cost nearly $30,000. A bar charge for the pool at a parent gathering was close to $12,000 in total.
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Why did Arch Manning commit to Texas?
Well, one may say, ‘Why not? He spent a great weekend at the university.’ However, more goes into such recruitment visits. One of the prime reasons the nephew of the famed QB, Peyton Manning, chose the University of Texas for its comfortable college life.
ENGLEWOOD, CO – MARCH 07: Quarterback Peyton Manning addresses the media as he announces his retirement from the NFL at the UCHealth Training Center on March 7, 2016 in Englewood, Colorado. Manning, who played for both the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos in a career which spanned 18 years, is the NFL’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns (539), passing yards (71,940) and tied for regular season QB wins (186). Manning played his final game last month as the winning quarterback in Super Bowl 50 in which the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers, earning Manning his second Super Bowl title. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Although a future star shot-caller, he is ultimately a student who wants to enjoy his college life like any average student. Also, coach Steve Sarkisian, a former player and the head coach at the university, is another reason for the young QB to choose Texas over Georgia and Alabama.
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