The Loop
Arch Manning is on ESPN2 tonight. We repeat - ARCH MANNING IS ON ESPN2 TONIGHT!!
We said we weren't going to get overly excited about Arch Manning's first two sophomore starts. That he was still too young, and we shouldn't put unfair expectations on him. We promised we'd wait until at least his senior year of high school before we let the hype train veer off the tracks.
We lied.
On Thursday, it was reported that Arch, son of Cooper, nephew of Peyton and Eli and grandson of Archie, was hitting the big time on ESPN2. His third game as the sophomore starting quarterback at Isidore Newman High School will be televised, with coverage beginning in primetime at 9 p.m. Cancel your plans. Clear the schedule. Set the DVR. Do whatever needs to be done to watch this kid sling the pill around on this fine fall evening:
When we said we thought his games should be on national TV this past Sunday, we didn't realize it'd be happening this quickly. Arch's family tried to keep him out of the spotlight as long as they could, but it took until Game 3 of his second year of high school for that plan to become unrealistic. On Thursday night, all eyes will be on Arch.
Over the first two games, the 16-year-old gunslinger has accounted for nine total touchdowns, six passing and three rushing. According to Maxpreps.com, he's completed 30 of his 39 pass attempts for 471 yards and thrown just one interception, and in his most recent game rushed for 70 yards on seven carries.
On Thursday Arch's 2-0 Greenies squad will take on the 2-0 KIPP Booker T. Washington Lions. The Lions have won their first two games by a combined score of 86-10, so it should be a stiff test for Isidore Newman. One other player to watch is Arch's top wideout, A.J. Johnson, who is ranked 278th in the 2022 ESPN Junior 300 rankings. The game will begin at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.