BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning has always been in the shadow of his famed father and brother.
Now the fifth-year senior finds himself having to shy away from the spotlight of Rebel fans’ expectations for a Heisman campaign.
“I don’t want to be driving around Oxford and see a big poster of myself saying ‘Eli for Heisman,'” Manning said. “If I am in Heisman Trophy contention at the end of the year, that means we had a great season and I put up the numbers necessary to help my team.
“There is no pressure to try to win the Heisman. The pressure comes from trying to win games.”
The name “Manning” has appeared three times in the top four vote recipients for the Heisman, and each time the award for college football’s most outstanding player has gone to someone else.
The father, Archie Manning, placed fourth in 1969 and third in 1970 while playing quarterback at Ole Miss.
The brother, Peyton Manning, came in a controversial second in 1997 while playing quarterback at Tennessee.
Eli Manning, a second team All-American selection in 2002, has done nothing to exclude his own candidacy for the award.
But Manning’s coach, David Cutcliffe, has seen, up close and personal, the effects an all-out campaign can have on a star player’s candidacy.
Cutcliffe was Peyton Manning’s position coach and offensive coordinator at Tennessee when the UT folk hero was beaten out by Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson.
“People will know that Eli is accomplished – that’s not going to fail to happen,” Cutcliffe said. “But we don’t have to have some campaign … (this award) should be won on the field.”
Fellow team captain and nose tackle Jesse Mitchell thinks the praise for Manning shouldn’t be a distraction, though.
“He deserves everything he gets,” Mitchell said. “He’s a great player and a great team leader.
“Whatever publicity he gets won’t hurt the team or take away from the goals this year.”
Manning’s performance over the past two seasons has elevated those team goals.
During his sophomore year, he threw for almost 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns. He followed in 2002 with 3,400 yards passing and 21 touchdowns.
Ole Miss finished 7-6 (3-5 SEC) last season, wrapping up the season with wins over rival Mississippi State and traditional power Nebraska.
According to Manning, the late season surge won’t determine the Rebels success in 2003.
“It gave the team a boost of confidence going into spring practice, but that was last season,” Manning said. “We’ve got to put that behind us and focus on this season.”
It has been 40 years since Ole Miss last won an SEC title. Not even Archie Manning could lead the Rebels to a conference crown.
But according to the current Ole Miss signal-caller, a solid group of wide receivers and a talented stable of young running backs provide the kind of pieces needed for a run at Mississippi’s first appearance at the SEC Championship.
Will it finally all come together in one year, though?
“Since I’ve been here, we’ve beaten every team we’ve played in the (Western Division),” Manning said. “Now we have to put it all in one season.”
If the team is successful in that goal – if the Rebels can ever get past that seven-win mode they’re seemingly always stuck in – then it might just be the youngest Manning of them all that is casting the shadow after a certain presentation this December.
