The first thing you notice about Arch Manning is his frame.
He’s bigger, slightly thicker in the upper body.
After an offseason of pushing weights around the gym, Manning has added a few extra pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-4 frame. The beefed-up physique was partly a byproduct of the downtime he endured after undergoing foot surgery in January.
But there was also an element of intent. Manning wanted to get bigger and stronger to meet the physical demands of starting in the Southeastern Conference. A year ago, he battled through multiple injuries during an up-and-down sophomore campaign.
“I got up to, like, 235 (pounds),” Manning said while visiting with reporters at the Manning Passing Academy on Friday in Thibodaux. “I wanted to see what it felt like, but I was a little too big. So I lost it. Feeling good now.”
He’s looking good, too. The former Newman standout will enter his second season as the Texas starter as a bigger, stronger and mentally tougher version of the guy who led the Longhorns to a 10-3 finish and No. 12 national ranking last season.
“Yeah, obviously there was some up and downs, a little bit of a rocky start there, but I feel like I learned a lot, learned a lot about myself and trying to keep getting better, move forward,” he said. “(It was) a good year.”
Manning and the Longhorns will once again enter the season with great expectations. Texas is expected to be a preseason top-five team when the initial AP Top 25 poll is released in August.
Those closest to Manning believe he’ll be ready for whatever comes his way. A season of growth and hard lessons has steeled him for the challenge ahead.
“There’s nothing better than experience,” said Arch’s father, Cooper Manning. “You got to go through the bumps and bruises and dealing with all the things — the media, the teammates, the coaches, looking in the mirror and saying, ‘What do I do to get better? I keep improving.’ So he’s excited about this opportunity.
“I thought he handled everything like a tough guy. I think a lot of people at Texas learned a lot about who their leader is. That’s why a lot of people want to be on his team. He’s the leader of the Texas Longhorns.”
Manning has a chance to do something his famous uncles, Peyton and Eli, and grandfather, Archie, never did — win a national title and a Heisman Trophy.
Vegas oddsmakers have installed Manning, along with Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, as one of the early Heisman favorites. Of course, at this time a year ago, he was also one of the favorites, while Fernando Mendoza was the longest of long shots. So we know how much that matters.
When I mentioned the Heisman to him Friday, his response was as predictable as the Thibodaux summer heat.
“I’m just worried about the team,” he said, switching deftly to default mode. “I’m just worried about getting through this afternoon workout here in the heat.”
Still, the storyline is out there. And he knows it’s not going away. Such is the blessing and curse of the Manning name. The spotlight never turns off.
To that end, Manning was mic’d up during workouts at the camp Friday. ESPN was in town to record a feature story on him and his famous family that will air during Week 2 of the season when Ohio State visits Texas in Austin.
That’s just one of many marquee games on the Longhorns’ schedule, a gauntlet that includes home games against Ohio State, Florida and Ole Miss, and road trips to Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and LSU.
The Nov. 14 game at LSU will mark the first time Manning has played in an official game of any kind in Tiger Stadium. It figures to be one of the most anticipated games of the college season, epic theater as the native son returns to his home state to compete for the first time in his career as a starter.
“It’s going to be fun,” he said. “I’m excited for the challenge. They’re a great team, great coach and a great crowd. So we’re fired up.”
Cooper said he is also eagerly anticipating the Week 11 showdown.
“Those are big (games),” he said. “That’s why you joined the SEC. That’s why you go to Texas and play on the big stage.”
Asked what kind of reaction he expects LSU fans to give Texas and Arch, Cooper smiled and planted his tongue firmly in his cheek
“Oh, I think the LSU fans will be really kind and nice,” he quipped. “They’ve always been so hospitable to other teams. I think they’ll be just lovely.”