LSU hosts Texas on Saturday night, and while it’s a huge matchup, the real drama might just be on the sidelines and in the history books. Texas QB Arch Manning, the top-ranked recruit in the class of 2023 and a New Orleans high school legend, is coming home to Louisiana to face none other than LSU coach Lane Kiffin. This isn’t just any coach versus player face-off; it’s the first time Kiffin coaches against Arch, and it’s loaded with some wild family history.
Kiffin’s Unconventional Relationship with the Manning Dynasty
Kiffin has deep, deep ties to the Manning family. He coached at Ole Miss from 2020-25, which is Archie Manning’s alma mater. He also recruited Arch fiercely out of high school. And let’s not forget, Kiffin even coached at Tennessee, where Peyton Manning became a legend. Kiffin himself joked earlier this week that he “left them twice” , referencing his controversial exits from both Tennessee and Ole Miss. Despite these departures, Kiffin claims the family has “been awesome, the places I’ve been, and very supportive while we’re there,” adding that he still texts them “once in a while.” Sounds like a pretty chill relationship for someone who keeps leaving town, right?
“Narcissistic, Jerk Coach”: The Cameo That Broke the Internet
Well, not always chill. After Kiffin bolted from Ole Miss for LSU, Archie Manning recorded a Cameo video for an Ole Miss fan that absolutely blew up social media. In it, Archie called Kiffin a “narcissistic, jerk coach.” Yeah, you read that right. According to Kiffin, Archie apologized afterward, leaving him a message and explaining that he “got caught up in the moment” and thought the Cameo was “just to the people.” Kiffin, ever the pragmatist, shrugged it off: “That’s okay. I’ve been called worse, and I’m sure I’ll be called the same when we go back to Tennessee, just like Ole Miss.” You gotta appreciate the self-awareness there, or maybe the sheer lack of surprise.
Recruitment Battles and Saturday Showdown
During his time at Ole Miss, Kiffin made Arch Manning a top priority. Back in 2021, Kiffin grabbed a “We Want Arch” sign from the crowd at an Ole Miss versus Texas A&M game. He even traveled to Baton Rouge to watch Arch play in the state playoffs, saying he “got to see him just have fun with his teammates.” But Kiffin also saw the immense pressure on Arch, even in high school. “That’s a lot to deal with, even when he was in high school, the expectations and pressure and everything around him,” Kiffin noted. Arch ultimately chose Texas and Steve Sarkisian , Kiffin’s longtime friend and former USC co-worker , over Ole Miss. Now, they finally clash on the field. Kiffin, for his part, still has high praise for the young QB: “I really enjoyed the time around Arch. Great kid… I hope he does really well, obviously, outside of Saturday.” It’s going to be a must-watch game tonight as Arch Manning makes his return to Louisiana and Kiffin faces off against a family he’s deeply tied to, for better or worse.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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