LSU football hosts Texas on Saturday night. For Texas QB Arch Manning, it marks a return to Louisiana. Manning, who played high school football in New Orleans, was the top-ranked recruit in the class of 2023.
Manning comes from a football family. His grandfather, Archie Manning, is an Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints legend. LSU coach Lane Kiffin, who was Ole Miss' head coach from 2020-25, has plenty of connections to the Manning family, from coaching at Archie's alma mater to recruiting Arch out of high school.
Kiffin was asked about his relationship with the Manning family earlier this week.
"If you think about it, I left them twice. You've got to remember the Tennessee part, too, and Peyton, so you probably forgot about that," Kiffin joked.
Kiffin
was referencing his exits from Tennessee, where Peyton Manning played, and Ole Miss, both of which came with controversy.
Kiffin said the family has "been awesome, the places I've been, and very supportive while we're there," and that he still talks with them once in a while through text.
after Kiffin left for LSU, Archie Manning recorded a Cameo video for an Ole Miss fan in which Manning called Kiffin a "narcissistic, jerk coach."
The video gained steam on social media, and per Kiffin, Manning apologized.
"He actually left me a message right after apologizing, but he got caught up in the moment after I left and thought it was just a Cameo to the people, and called me a few names," Kiffin said. "But 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."
Kiffin made Arch Manning a priority during his time at Ole Miss. In 2021, he grabbed a "We Want Arch" sign from the crowd before the Rebels' game against Texas A&M and traveled to Baton Rouge to watch Manning and Isidore Newman play Episcopal in the state playoffs.
"I went and saw him play one time … and got to see him just have fun with his teammates," Kiffin said.
Kiffin also saw the other side of Manning's recruitment.
"That's a lot to deal with, even when he was in high school, the expectations and pressure and everything around him," Kiffin said. "When he'd come visit, you kind of see more of the pressure side of what he'd deal with."
Manning chose Texas and Steve Sarkisian, Kiffin's longtime friend and former USC co-worker, over Ole Miss. Saturday will be the first time Kiffin coaches against Manning.
"I really enjoyed the time around Arch. Great kid," Kiffin said. "I think he's an awesome kid, and I hope he does really well, obviously, outside of Saturday."
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Lane Kiffin on Arch Manning, Manning family ties before LSU vs. Texas
