SEC quarterbacks detail their experiences, lessons learned at the Manning Passing Academy
ATLANTA — As many as a dozen potential starting quarterbacks in the SEC this fall attended the prestigious Manning Passing Academy in south Louisiana earlier this month, serving as camp counselors for prep prospects while also partaking in a number of passing events against one another.
Florida’s Anthony Richardson wowed those in attendance with a 73-yard bomb in the “Air It Out” competition. The future face of the Gators’ program also uncorked his trademark back-flip at 6-4, 237-pounds, while Kentucky’s Will Levis showcased why so many NFL scouts believe he’s a future Top-10 pick.
Other SEC quarterbacks who impressed included Alabama’s Bryce Young, Texas A&M’s Max Johnson, South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler and LSU’s Myles Brennan.
Vanderbilt’s Mike Wright, Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker, Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson, Mississippi State’s Will Rogers and Ole Miss’ Luke Altmyer were the other SEC quarterbacks to attend the weekend.
At SEC Media Days, many of the quarterbacks detailed their experiences and what they learned at the 26th Manning Passing Academy.
“The Manning Passing Academy brotherhood is a lifelong thing,” Hooker said.
“The MPA was an amazing opportunity,” added Wright. “If any college guys have the opportunity to go out there and do it, do it. Don’t hesitate. You learn so much, and you’ll have a great time.”
The Mannings being ‘hands-on,’ SEC QBs rooming together
The Manning Passing Academy is a unique opportunity for college quarterbacks — many of whom are already stars and household names — to coach high school prospects, while also learning from each other and picking the brains of Peyton, Eli and Archie Manning.
Wright, Bennett and several others spoke about how “hands-on” the Mannings were during the camp, each learning a different lesson from the storied QB family. Bennett said he filled up a notebook full of takeaways on just how to better approach the game from a mental angle. Wright cleaned up his release after getting some throwing tips from Peyton Manning. Meanwhile, Richardson and Levis — two likely future high NFL Draft picks — walked away with a better understanding on “how to be pros.”
“I got a lot of advice from (Peyton) Manning, but one thing I really took away and always knew but bought into after I heard it from him was to just continue to carry yourself as a professional and representative of whatever program or franchise that you are in,” Levis explained.
“It’s almost a job in itself. You’re not just the quarterback. You are an ambassador. The CEO in your own right. You need to make sure you’re doing everything to represent the institution in the best way possible.”
Several of the SEC quarterbacks bunked together during the weekend, getting to know their league cohorts on a more personal level. Hooker and Wright were friends prior to the Manning Passing Academy, and the two in-state rivals were paired as roommates.
“ I was roomed with Hooker from the orange school,” Wright said, refusing to say Tennessee while smiling. “I think Peyton did that on purpose just to throw a little jab.”
“I got there kind of late because my flight got delayed — I got there late at night, and those guys woke up out their beds to welcome me to the camp, and that was a special thing,” Hooker detailed.
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“It was a cool experience to be out there with the best quarterbacks in the nation.”
Richardson used his impressive backflip “as an icebreaker,” saying it helped get his fellow quarterbacks buzzing before they competed against one another. Levis mentioned how he really bonded with Hooker and Rattler, calling the former Oklahoma quarterback “misunderstood.”
“I asked him a lot about the Netflix show and how that shaped him as a person,” Levis said of his budding relationship with Rattler.
“I think he’s so much more mature than he was then, and he’s learned a lot from that. He’s a good dude and a heck of a quarterback.
The two also connected over their experiences as transfer quarterbacks expected to take their team’s to new heights.
“It’s hard walking into a building and having to learn not only a 100 new names and faces but also the playbook,” said Levis, who transferred from Penn State to Kentucky in 2021.
“As the quarterback, you’ve got to earn the respect of everyone on your team.”
A weekend among peers spawned a current group text with all the quarterbacks, per Wright. They communicate daily, poking fun of one another while also sharing life lessons and QB tips.
“The quarterback community is a special thing,” Hooker said.
“It was a great experience, a blessing to be there. Learned some great things from some great football minds, just being around, you know, the first family. Being around the Manning family, they show you nothing to love, and I love them right back.
“It’s a great experience coaching kids. You’re out there all day and you’re playing ball, which is something I love to do. It doesn’t matter where you’re at or who with, whenever there’s ball being played or being talked about, I want to be around it.”