UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, August 18. 1997
13B
Tennessee's Peyton Manning returns
He said no to NFL for final season
The Associated Press
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Peyton Manning has heard it all before:
He stayed at Tennessee to win the Heisman Trophy so he can parlay college football's top award into a huge pro contract, then top it off with a zillion dollars in endorsements.
"Bull." Manning said.
It had to be something mercenary, didn't it? No modern athlete turns away when the money's on the table.
"I did what I wanted to do. I wanted to come out one more year and be a senior in college at Tennessee. People can analyze every single thing in the world, but there's really not much to it."
In a world where the NFL is the goal of virtually every college football player, Manning is fulfilling a lifelong love affair with games played on Saturdays.
He simply wasn't ready to give it up, not even for the $25 million or so he could have gotten as a pro.
"I know there's been an awful lot said already about Peyton returning, but I don't
think enough can be said about his character and integrity," Volunteers coach Phillip Fulmer said. "Even though he doesn't necessarily want it to be, he made a great statement for all of college football, the University of Tennessee and our football program."
Peyton's father, Archie Manning, the former star at Mississippi and a two-time All-Pro with the New Orleans Saints, said he has been amazed at the number of positive letters and comments he's gotten since Peyton decided to remain in school.
"Peyton has never looked back on it and is happier than I ever seen him," Archie Manning said. "That makes his mother and I and his brothers feel better than anything else."
Peyton Manning never saw his father play college ball. But as a boy he listened to — even memorized — taped radio broadcasts from Archie Manning's days at Mississippi.
When the time came to pick a college, Peyton Manning broke a lot of Rebel hearts when he spurned his father's alma mater and went to Tennessee. He said then that it was the right place for him, and he repeated the statement when he decided to stay.
"Believe me, I want to have an even better experience in the NFL than I've had in college," he said. "I just wanted to play one more year in college first."
Manning graduated cum laude in May with
a degree in speech communications, taking just three years to get his diploma. This fall, for the first time since he got to campus, he won't be taking a full course load. He is continuing his education in communications as a graduate student.
Manning already owns 28 Tennessee passing records, including career yardage (7,382), completions (576) and touchdowns (53). He's 28-4 as a starter, and either is or will be in the top five of most career Southeastern Conference passing categories by the time he finished.
But his team has never won so much as an SEC Eastern Division title, despite a 21-3 record the last two years. Being in the same division as defending national champion Florida will do that.
Manning will be at the top of most preseason lists of Heisman favorites. The questions about it started before last season — he finished sixth in the voting as a sophomore, eighth last year — and his stock answer hasn't wavered.
"I'm not about the Heisman," he said. "I want to go out and win. If individual things come my way, fine, but all I want to do is win games."
Seconds later, characteristically softening any unintended barb, he added: "It's a huge award. It's as prestigious as it gets. I'm not trying to knock the award. I just can't go out
Tennessee
Aug. 30 Texas Tech, 7:30 p.m.
Sep. 6 at UCLA, 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 Mississippi, TBA
Oct. 11 Georgia, 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 18 at Alabama, 7 p.m.
Nov. 1 S. Carolina, TBA
Nov. 8 S. Miss., 4 p.m.
Nov. 15 at Arkansas, 2 p.m.
Nov. 22 at Kentucky, 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 29 Vanderbilt, 1 p.m.
and try to win it."
What Manning said he wants most is a successful season for his team. The Vols were hyped as national championship contenders last year, and press this season ranked No. 5 in The Associated Press preseason poll.
The first two games are tough nonconference contests, against Texas Tech in Knoxville and UCLA in Pasadena.
The Florida game, which for the past four years has been the defining moment of the SEC Eastern Division race, is in Gainesville on Sept. 20. Alabama lurks down the road in Birmingham in October.
Given the Vols' problems with Florida, plus lessons learned from last year's upset loss to Memphis, championship talk is muted this year.
Comparison between Peyton Manning in 1996 and the last five quarterbacks to win the Heisman Trophy:
Year Player Comp Att Yds Td Int
1996 Danny Wuerfel, Florida 207 360 3625 39 13
1993 Charlie Ward, FSU 264 380 3032 27 4
1992 Gino Torretta, Miami 228 402 3060 19 7
1990 Ty Detmer, BYU 361 562 5188 41 28
1989 Andre Ware, Houston 365 578 4499 46 15
1996 Peyton Manning, Tenn. 243 380 3287 20 12
Heisman trophy winners
Source: The Associated Press
Tough road for Notre Dame's Bob Davie
"We have an extremely challenging schedule and all we want to do is be competitive every Saturday," Manning said. "If it does work out, then we can talk about it. But right now there's no point in talking. We just haven't gotten the job done the past two years. It's more of a humbled approach. Let's go out and give it our best shot, and see what happens."
New football coach follows Irish legends
The Associated Press
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Bob Davie was concluding yet another public appearance, this time at a Notre Dame Quarterback Club golf outing, when a familiar face interrupted.
And with that one hug, it seemed as though the 74-year-old Parseghian was trying to pass along all the wisdom Davie will need to cope with the pressures of the most
"Hey coach, I've got a few questions to ask you, too!" yelled the tiny, silver-haired Ara Parseghian, laughing as he moved to embrace Davie.
Davie, Notre Dame's defensive coordinator for three seasons before being hired as head coach on Nov. 24, 1996, already has made a
glamorous job in college sports — football coach at Notre Dame.
Can I do? Parseghian thinks so.
"What I see is some real in-depth thinking on his part," said
Davie and the legendary Irish coach met only three months ago, at a golf outing in Dallas, and already they're become friends.
"If I have gotten close to one person, it would have to be Ara," said Davie, adding that he rarely speaks to his predecessor, Lou Holtz. "Having Ara around gives you confidence because all of this could overwhelm you."
Parseghian, who coached the Irish to national titles in 1966 and 1973 and finished with a 95-17-4 record in 11 seasons (1964-74). "He's already thought out some critical situations. He has a plan. I like his vision. Notre Dame has a bright future."
So far, Davie's been far from overwhelmed. He's been too busy revamping his offense, renovating his office, reaching out to students and recharging the Irish spirit among its legion of fans.
"I try to focus on things that will help us win; the other stuff will take care of itself," Davie said. "There are things that, as coach of Notre Dame, you need to do — appearances, speaking engagements, dealing with the media, visiting with students and
Davie is clearly a player's coach, but he's well aware of the added obligations.
big impression on the players, who open the season at home against Georgia Tech on Sept. 6.
"He's a young guy and can relate to us very well," defensive end Melvin Dansby said. "We can't get anything past him because he's already been there, done that. You'd lay down your life for him and I think he'd the same for you. That's why we give him so much respect, because he gives us so much back."
parents. That's all part of it. You just have to weigh what's most important."
After the Quarterback Club banquet, where Davie led a crowd of about 200 in giving Parseghian a standing ovation, the essence of the new coach began to come through.
Disarmingly friendly, with a quick smile, the 42-year-old Davie becomes seriously intense only when talking about the thing that saved him from a career in the steel mills of western Pennsylvania — football.
Davie, married with two children
"Right now, it's all ball," Davie said after most of the crowd had departed from the dinner earlier this month. "I'm really looking forward to it. At some point, it all comes down to ball. That point is here."
— 13-year-old Audra and 9-year-old Clay — played tight end for Youngstown State before assistant coaching stints at Pittsburgh, Arizona, Tulane and Texas A&M.
"Sports was my whole life growing up," the native of Sewickley, Pa., said. "My dad always stressed academics and sports because he didn't want me to go to work in that steel mill."
It was close to midnight now, and it seemed as if Davie could go on talking ball forever. The manager at the banquet hall had been waiting for hours to close down, but understood the situation.
As Davie walked out the door, he apologized for any inconvenience.
"Anyone else but you would be pushing it-a lot," the manager said. Everyone smiled.
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