Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, December 18, 1994 TAG: 9412190080
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: KNOXVILLE, TENN. LENGTH: Medium
Archie Manning played his first bowl game against Virginia Tech. Peyton Manning will play his first bowl game against the Hokies on Dec.30 at Florida Field in Gainesville.
And quarterback is where Beamer hopes a generation gap begins.
It was 26 years ago this weekend when Beamer played his last game as a starting cornerback for the Hokies, who built a 17-0 first-quarter lead in the Liberty Bowl. Then, the elder Manning guided Ole Miss to a 34-17 victory.
``Oh, gosh, I thought the other day about how we chased Archie all over that field,'' Beamer said. ``I just hope now we're not going to be chasing his son all over the field.''
Peyton Manning has brought the word ``precocious'' to Tennessee's play book since becoming the Volunteers' starting quarterback five games into this season. The Vols (7-4) won six of the freshman's seven starts to reach the Gator, which is Tennessee's 13th bowl in 14 seasons.
His father also played in the Gator Bowl, when as a senior with a broken arm he mostly handed off and Auburn - led by future Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan - beat the Rebels 35-28.
Peyton Manning knows his dad's three bowl scores by heart. He's seen film of his dad's bowl play, in particular the 1970 Sugar, in which Manning was the MVP of a 27-22 victory over Arkansas. He knew the elder Manning had led a comeback against the Hokies. He didn't know, however, that the Hokies' coach now was a Tech player then.
``Not over me, no way,'' Beamer said, laughing, when asked if any of Archie's 12 pass completions, including two for touchdowns, came over a certain cornerback from Hillsville, Va.
Those two 1968 figures by Manning, as well as his 28 attempts, are still records for a Tech bowl opponent. Beamer isn't worried so much about Archie's kid scrambling his way to success. The son is a somewhat different QB than the father.
``He really is a quarterback in the true sense,'' Beamer said of the younger Manning. ``He has that kind of presence. You can tell that the things his dad went through have been passed on. He has more football smarts than most kids his age because of who he is.
``Peyton is different in that he's a sign of the times. He's a little bigger [6-feet-5] than Archie and a little stronger. Archie was more elusive, an excellent athlete. He wore us out.''
Since assuming the Vols' top job in the first quarter of a loss at Mississippi State when Todd Helton suffered a knee injury, Manning has completed 62 percent of his passes (86-of-139) for 1,114 yards. He has 11 touchdowns and six interceptions.
``By now, I'm comfortable,'' he said a couple of days ago on the UT campus. ``I've started seven games, and we've been in some tough situations. Probably, the South Carolina game [Oct.29] was the first time I really felt good, like I knew what I had to do.
``My first start [a 10-9 victory over], Washington State, I really only had to take care of the game and not try to do too much. Then a couple weeks later we had a tough loss to Alabama. But I learned a lot in that game, too.''
He doesn't talk or play the game like a freshman, yet he was voted the Southeastern Conference's Freshman of the Year.
``It was a surprise,'' he said.
It should have been. This was supposed to be Heath Shuler's team, before last year's Heisman Trophy runner-up left for 19 million bucks and a mental beating with the Washington Redskins.
When the season began, Manning was behind senior Jerry Colquitt and Helton. Colquitt tore up his knee in the opening loss at UCLA. Helton was lost three games later, and Manning was slightly ahead of fellow recruit Branndon Stewart.
``I'm not sure what I expected,'' said Manning, who came from New Orleans accompanied by even greater fan expectations than most Vols' quarterbacks, because he was carrying his father's baggage. ``I knew Tennessee had a great following, and that the quarterback is always the guy they watch, maybe even more so than at other schools.
``I don't know if you can realize what it's like until you go through it. I'm still learning, and a lot has happened this season.''
Out of the soap opera of a 1-3 start, quarterback has become Peyton's place.
``Some of our guys kind of look at the Gator Bowl as a gift, as a reward, especially after the way we started the season,'' Manning said. ``Some guys look at it as a 12th game. I asked my dad about bowls and he said you should try to make them a fun time, because the next thing you know, you'll be a senior and in your last one.''
This quarterback's son learned long ago that father knows best.
by CNB