Arch Manning (Newman) vs Tackett Curtis (Many): Louisiana high school football highlights

Manning is staying with the Texas Longhorns this season, while Curtis transferred from USC to Wisconsin
Tackett Curtis, left, got the better of Arch Manning, right, when Many beat Newman in Louisiana high school football in 2022.
Tackett Curtis, left, got the better of Arch Manning, right, when Many beat Newman in Louisiana high school football in 2022. / Tackett Curtis photo by Henrietta Wildsmith/USA Today; Arch Manning photo by Parker Waters

Louisiana high school football legends Arch Manning and Tackett Curtis have both experienced change this offseason.

Manning reversed course Tuesday and decided to appear in EA Sports' College Football 25 video game.

Curtis changed significant course in January, as the linebacker transferred from USC to Wisconsin.

He finished his freshman season as a Trojan with 40 tackles (24 solo), including four for loss and two sacks, starting eight of his 12 games.

Less than two years ago, Curtis was chasing down Manning on the football field, as the star linebacker's Many Tigers beat the star quarterback's Isidore Newman Greenies 25-17.

Check out highlights from the game below, where you'll also see Curtis (4 in black) playing offense:

A standout moment comes just after the one-minute mark in the video, where Manning slides out of bounds to avoid getting decked by Curtis.

But the loss didn't get Manning down. Just a week later, he broke a pair of high school records previously held by his Super Bowl-winning uncles. 

Arch eclipsed Eli Manning's 7,268 career passing yards mark and also bested Peyton Manning's career passing touchdowns record of 93. 

Heading into the offseason after his first year of college football, Manning seemed the more likely candidate to transfer than Curtis.

The five-star recruit sat behind Quinn Ewers for the Texas Longhorns last year, and he's on track to do so again this year.

He explained his decision to stay in Austin to Larry Holder of The Athletic on Monday:

"It's tough because you want to be out there playing with your boys. But just realizing there's nowhere else I want to be, and it was my dream to play at Texas. I'm going to stick it out and play there eventually."

Manning was back in the news Tuesday in the video game department.

Players who have opted into the College Football 25 video game — set to hit stores July 19 — will receive $600 and a copy of the game as part of the NIL agreement between EA Sports and the athletes.

Curtis, on the other hand, made the list last week of si.com's five most impactful transfers for Wisconsin this offseason.

“Wisconsin was the perfect fit for me and my future," Curtis told On3 in January. "I love the way that they use their LBs and I could see myself being a dominant player in their defense. I want to play in a defense where I can hunt and find the ball! I feel like Wisconsin is the best place to go do that. I feel like Wisconsin will get the best out of me, and I will become the best player I can be there.”

Wisconsin and Texas don't play each other in the 2024 college football season, so if Curtis and Manning meet again on the football field this year, it will be in a bowl game.

Texas is viewed as a College Football Playoff contender, while Wisconsin should enter the season as a bubble Top 25 team.

-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports


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Mike Swanson, SBLive Sports

MIKE SWANSON, SBLIVE SPORTS

Mike Swanson is the Trending News Editor for SBLive Sports. He's been in journalism since 2003, having worked as a reporter, city editor, copy editor and high school sports editor in California, Connecticut and Oregon.