5 reasons Kirby Smart can sell Arch Manning on committing to Georgia
By John Buhler
4. Arch Manning will play in a pro-style offense if he commits to Georgia
Though the NFL game is becoming increasingly like the college game from an offensive standpoint, it never hurts for a promising college player to play in a pro-style offense. While Smart is a defensive-minded head coach, it feels like a foregone conclusion Manning would be running some variation of a pro-style offense if he were to Commit to the G and come play for the Dawgs.
Offensive coordinator Todd Monken runs a pro-style system. While 2022 could be his last year calling the shots in Athens, as he could be a serious candidate to take over his own Power 5 team, Smart did hire his former quarterback Mike Bobo to an offensive analyst role. Bobo was an excellent offensive coordinator in Athens under Mark Richt before taking over at Colorado State.
This is all about getting Manning ready for the NFL. Georgia will keep running a pro-style offense.
3. Kirby Smart competed with and was briefly teammates with Peyton Manning
It comes down to connections. While Smart is every bit a Georgia guy, there are ties his program has to the Mannings which will help in Arch’s recruitment. First, Smart played defensive back for Georgia during the same time Uncle Peyton was at Tennessee. Though Smart went undrafted out of Georgia, he was very briefly teammates with Uncle Peyton on the 1999 Indianapolis Colts team.
Not only are Smart and Uncle Peyton friendly, but former Rebels head coach Matt Luke serves as the Dawgs offensive line coach. Though he predates Uncle Eli a bit, Luke was in Oxford as a player around the same time as Arch’s father. While Ole Miss should be the favorite to land Manning until it is not, there may be stronger ties to Smart’s Georgia staff than the ones to Ole Miss presently.
Keep in mind that Manning’s top recruiter to Ole Miss is now the Oklahoma Sooners offensive coordinator with Jeff Lebby going back to his alma mater in Norman.