There's something important that Tennessee Vols fans need to understand about the recruitment of Peyton Manning's son Marshall
Marshall Manning, the son of Tennessee Vols legend Peyton Manning, turned some heads at the Pro Bowl this week thanks to the darts he was tossing to some of the best players in the NFL. Peyton's son, who will turn 14 in March, is still a few years away from his college football recruitment heating […]
Marshall Manning, the son of Tennessee Vols legend Peyton Manning, turned some heads at the Pro Bowl this week thanks to the darts he was tossing to some of the best players in the NFL.
Peyton's son, who will turn 14 in March, is still a few years away from his college football recruitment heating up (Marshall will be a member of the 2029 recruiting class).
But that hasn't stopped Tennessee fans from envisioning Marshall in an orange No. 16 Vols jersey down the road
It's not a surprise that Tennessee fans are already warming up to the idea of Peyton's son playing for the Volunteers.
But there's something important that Tennessee fans need to understand about Marshall's recruitment.
This isn't going to be a situation where Peyton pushes his son toward his alma mater. That's just not how the Manning family operates.
And Peyton is evidence of that.
When Peyton committed to Tennessee over 30 years ago, it angered a lot of folks in Oxford who were expecting the son of Ole Miss legend Archie Manning to sign with the Rebels.
Archie, however, never pushed Ole Miss on Peyton. Instead, he encouraged Peyton to make his own decision. And that's what ultimately led to Peyton landing in Knoxville.
We saw the same scenario play out with Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning a few years ago. Arch's dad, Cooper, graduated from Ole Miss (just like Archie, his wife Olivia, and Eli, Archie's youngest son). But no one from the Manning family pushed Arch toward Ole Miss. Just like with Peyton, they let Arch make his own decision (which was Texas).
I fully expect the same scenario to play out with Marshall. Now, that doesn't mean that Tennessee won't be a factor or that he won't end up playing for the Vols. Again, it's far too early to know. But if Marshall does end up at Tennessee, it'll be because it's 100 percent his decision.
The most important thing, regardless of the outcome of Marshall's recruitment, is that Tennessee fans respect whatever decision is made. There should be zero reason that anyone directs any negative messages toward Peyton (and definitely not toward Marshall) if the pick isn't Tennessee.
Remember, if not for Archie's willingness to let Peyton pave his own path, that orange No. 16 jersey probably wouldn't have been setting records on Rocky Top in the mid 1990s.
"Had my dad told me to go to Ole Miss, I would have gone to Ole Miss," said Peyton during ESPN's 30 for 30 on the Manning family in 2013. "I'm thankful that my dad let me make my own decision."
Maybe Marshall will want to create his own legacy at a program where he won't be in the shadow of his famous dad. Or maybe he'll decide that the Orange and White is for him. Or maybe he decides he wants to play pro baseball instead (his grandfather Archie, after all, was an MLB draft selection).
Either way, Tennessee fans must absolutely accept and respect whatever decision Marshall makes in a few years.
