Why Marshall Manning won't start as freshman quarterback
Marshall Manning freshman quarterback duties at Baylor School in Chattanooga will begin on the bench. Head coach Erik Kimrey confirmed the son of NFL legend Peyton Manning is the backup this season behind senior Keegan Croucher, a four-star Ole Miss commit. The freshman will wait his turn on a reigning Tennessee state champion.
Key Takeaways
- Marshall Manning will serve as Baylor School’s backup quarterback as a freshman in 2026.
- Senior Keegan Croucher, a four-star Ole Miss commit ranked by 247Sports, holds the starting job.
- Coach Erik Kimrey confirmed the depth chart on the “Villamarzos Voice” podcast.
- Baylor went 12-0 and won a Tennessee state title last season.
- Marshall previously attended Kent Denver School in Colorado before enrolling at Baylor.
Football fans tracking Streaming & TV Alerts already know the Manning name draws cameras. This time the story is simpler: talent and timing, not a family drama.
Why isn’t Marshall Manning the starting quarterback?
According to the New York Post, Marshall is entering ninth grade at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is behind Croucher, a rising senior committed to Ole Miss and rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports.
“Marshall Manning is our backup quarterback this year,” Kimrey said on the “Villamarzos Voice” podcast. “He’ll be a freshman. So, we’re excited about him.”
A to Z Sports noted the confirmation matches what had been speculated: Croucher was already expected to start in 2026, and Kimrey’s comments publicly locked in Marshall’s backup role.
Who is ahead of Marshall Manning on the depth chart?
Keegan Croucher is the clear No. 1. He is a 2027 recruit headed to Oxford after this high school season, per reporting that cites his Ole Miss commitment and four-star status.
That leaves Marshall, listed as a 2030 quarterback prospect, learning behind a proven starter on a program coming off a perfect 12-0 championship year in Tennessee.
Kimrey’s tone was upbeat, not dismissive. The coach framed the freshman as someone the staff is “excited about,” even while keeping him second on the chart.
What does this mean for Marshall Manning’s future?
A to Z Sports wrote that once Croucher leaves for Ole Miss after 2026, Marshall is presumed to step into the starting role in 2027. That projection is not a formal school announcement, but it follows the roster logic Kimrey outlined.
Marshall is part of a deep quarterback family: father Peyton and uncle Eli are both two-time Super Bowl winners, grandfather Archie had a long NFL career, and cousin Arch Manning is expected to pursue the NFL after another season at Texas, with some draft talk around a possible No. 1 overall pick in 2027.
He also turned heads in May while training with QB Country, scrambling and throwing outside the pocket in a widely shared session. Fame will follow either way. For now, the freshman quarterback’s job is clearer than the hype: back up Croucher, learn the Baylor system, and wait for his turn.