Opinion: Clemson needs top recruit Arch Manning more than quarterback's other potential suitors
First, it was Deshaun Watson. Then, it was Trevor Lawrence.
Clemson football hasn't been the same without those star quarterbacks. Arch Manning, though, could change that.
Two national championships, six consecutive top-five finishes and — until Tuesday — ranked in every edition of the College Football Playoff poll. Watson and Lawrence were the two quarterbacks who redefined expectations at Clemson.
But the two are now in the NFL — both were first-round picks in the draft and Lawrence went No. 1 overall — opening the door for another great quarterback to take the reins and lead Clemson to a fourth national title.
That's where Manning, the Isidore Newman (Louisiana) star quarterback, could come into the picture. Clemson fans should hope so, because the Tigers need Manning more than any of his other potential suitors do. Because in 2021, things have changed.
The Tigers already have as many regular-season losses (three) as they had in the previous six years combined. Lawrence's successor, D.J. Uiagalelei, has thrown more interceptions (six) than touchdowns this year (five). The sophomore was even benched for a time against Pittsburgh two weeks ago.
Manning can't step on a college campus until 2023, but as a five-star recruit and the No. 1 recruit in the nation for his class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, he has the ability to elevate any program by himself.
Last Friday against Cohen College Prep he threw five touchdown passes and in seven games this season he has 1,511 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian attended his game on Oct. 14, Georgia coach Kirby Smart traveled to New Orleans to see him play a week later. Manning is one of the most highly sought-after quarterback recruits ever and the last player at his position to be the nation's No. 1 recruit since Lawrence.
Thankfully for Clemson fans, Manning has shown some interest in the Tigers. He was at their matchup against Florida State this past weekend and unofficially visited the school on June 6.
But landing Manning is still far from guaranteed. He's gone to games this fall at Alabama, Ole Miss — his father, uncle (Eli Manning) and grandfather (Archie Manning) attended the school — Georgia and Texas. He also made visits to those schools, plus LSU and SMU, over the summer.
Because of the precedent Watson and Lawrence set, Clemson needs an elite quarterback like Manning to maintain its expectations as a national contender, more so than the five-star quarterback's other potential suitors.
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Texas, LSU, SMU and Ole Miss, need more than just Manning on their rosters to become a national title contender. The Rebels, as an example, have Heisman Trophy contender Matt Corral and still lost by three touchdowns to Alabama this year.
Alabama has won national championships with limited play at quarterback in years past. Georgia is the No. 1 team in the nation despite former junior college and three-star quarterback Stetson Bennett IV starting the majority of its games.
But Clemson was never a true powerhouse in college football before Watson and Lawrence. The Tigers won one national championship in 1981 and didn't have another top-five finish until 2015, before rattling off six straight.
In the one year during that span when Watson and Lawrence were not at the helm, Clemson was held to just six points by Alabama in a College Football Playoff semifinal.
Their streak of top-five finishes will come to an end this season, as the Tigers are just 5-3. But adding Manning, even if they have to wait a little longer, could catapult Clemson back to the mountain top of college football.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Arch Manning recruitment: Why Clemson Tigers need the star quarterback
