Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin to attend Arch Manning playoff game

New Orleans (La.) Isidore Newman five-star 2023 quarterback Arch Manning will have all eyes upon him as Newman faces Baton Rouge (La.) Episcopal in the LHSAA Division III quarterfinals Friday night. At least one high-profile head coach will be on the sidelines watching as he hopes to land Manning’s commitment down the road.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin took advantage of new NCAA guidelines to announce his plans to attend Friday night’s matchup between Newman and Episcopal.

Feels like a great night to go watch 2 great high school programs @EHSBRAthletics vs @NewmanAthletes #GoKnights #GoGreenies

— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) November 19, 2021

Manning, the No. 1 overall player in the On3 Consensus, visited Ole Miss in late October for the number retirement ceremony of his uncle, Eli. Isidore Newman head coach, Nelson Stewart, told 247Sports that Manning was impressed with his visit to Oxford.

“He told me he really enjoyed talking to (Lane) Kiffin,” Stewart said. “(Arch) said it was fun talking to him before the game. He said everybody was really nice and he had a great time with his family.

“He just said he really enjoyed before the game on the field talking to (Jeff) Lebby and Kiffin and the environment was great. A great college town. He said it was probably the best conversation he had. Manning said they were able to relate and talk, and it was an authentic good conversation. And he really enjoyed talking to them.”

Arch Manning leads the way for 2023 class

Arch Manning is one of just three 2023 prospects to rank as an On3 Five-Star Plus+ recruit — a player ranked by all four recruiting media services as a five-star prospect. In addition to the Rebels, he holds offers from a number of other elite schools including Georgia, Texas, Clemson, LSU and Alabama.

On3 Director of Scouting Charles Power gave this scouting summary of Arch Manning:

Possesses a pure throwing motion with one of the quickest releases we’ve seen from a high school quarterback prospect. Those mechanics pair with a strong arm to make Manning one of the more natural and accurate passers in the 2023 cycle. Has the ability to carve up opposing defenses from inside the pocket or outside of structure when things break down. Shows innate field vision for his age with the ability to find open receivers while making second-reaction plays. An above average athlete for the position with polished footwork and the capability of picking up yards in scramble situations. Has filled out a big frame over his high school career, entering his junior year as the most physically developed top quarterback in the 2023 cycle. Also carries a substantial mental load for a junior quarterback with the responsibility of setting protections.