Getty An Alabama Twitter personality doesn't believe Arch Manning would've receive any snaps had he committed to the Crimson Tide instead of Texas
Had Arch Manning chosen Alabama instead of Texas during his much-publicized recruitment, the Class of 2023 quarterback — born into a family of football royalty due to the success of his uncles Peyton and Eli and his grandfather Archie — would not have played a single down according to notable Crimson Tide Twitter personality Adam Weil.
Weil fired off the hot take while simultaneously showing highlights of Manning from the Longhorns’ 2023 spring game on April 15.
Genuinely don’t think Arch Manning would play a single down at Alabama. pic.twitter.com/NPnhcGwPTU
— Adam Weil (@AdamWeil22) April 16, 2023
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As Burnt Orange Nation’s Wescott Eberts noted, Manning’s performance (5/13 completed passes for 30 yards) was up and down during his public debut with Texas.
“The debut of freshman quarterback Arch Manning featured some challenges working with a group that included walk-on wide receivers and primarily showcased the strong functional athleticism of Manning and his ability to scramble for positive yardage under pressure,” Eberts wrote. “On one notable pass intended for sophomore running back Savion Red, the ball sailed on Manning over the middle, but he responded with a completed pass featuring Manning flashing some serious velocity to hit a small window.”
Kurt Warner Responds to Arch Manning-Alabama Statement
NFL legend Kurt Warner, a 2x NFL MVP and Super Bowl XXXIV MVP, pushed back on Weil’s criticisms of Manning on April 16. Warner believes that Manning should still be in high school and shouldn’t be judged on what he can do as a true freshman since “very few” start at big programs.
The kid should be in HS right now, going to prom & hanging with his buddies… cut him some slack & give him a couple months!!! (And very few start at big programs as true freshmen…)
— Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) April 16, 2023
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“The kid should be in (high school) right now, going to prom & hanging with his buddies… cut him some slack & give him a couple months!” Warner tweeted. “And very few start at big programs as true freshmen.”
Manning enrolled early at Texas to participate in spring drills. He hasn’t yet graduated high school from Isidore Newman in New Orleans.
Former Alabama Cornerback Defends Arch Manning
Warner wasn’t the only NFL star, past or present, that defended Manning from criticisms following his debut at the Texas spring game on April 15. Former Alabama cornerback Pat Surtain also defended Manning on April 16, tweeing at a different Twitter user for claiming that the quarterback was the “most overrated football player of any level.”
Y’all Folks Crazy… it’s easy to criticize watching through a screen smh ! He didn’t even play his first snap of real football yet lol https://t.co/I7If0jmpKd
— Patrick Surtain (@PatSurtainll) April 17, 2023
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“Y’all Folks Crazy… it’s easy to criticize watching through a screen (shaking my head)! (Manning) didn’t even play his first snap of real football yet lol,” Surtain said.
Surtain was a First-team All-SEC defender for the Crimson Tide in 2020 before being selected with the No. 9 pick overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2021 NFL draft. In 2022, he was a First-team All-Pro for the Broncos.