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'Peyton thinks that's a plus' - Only a few college head coaches have the trait that Peyton Manning thinks is a big plus

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Zach Ragan | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 7:31 PM ET

There's a trait that Tennessee Vols legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning thinks is a big "plus" for head coaches — and only a few have it.

Peyton's father, Archie, appeared on 106.7 The Ticket this week and pointed out that Peyton is a fan of head coaches that call their own plays and have played the quarterback position.

"I was in New York, I wasn't part of that forum up there, but one thing Peyton pointed out — he was actually talking about college, he was talking about my grandson (Arch)," said Archie. "He thinks quarterbacks who are head coaches that call their own plays is a real plus. Peyton thinks that's a plus.

"It doesn't necessarily mean they were great quarterbacks, but the head coaches that call their own plays....I think Peyton was talking about my grandson and talking about (Texas head coach) Steve Sarkisian. So I think that's a plus, I really do."

One reason why Peyton feels that way about coaches who call their own plays is because it means that the offensive system won't change.

"When your head coach is calling the plays, that means it's going to be the same system every single year," said Manning at Fanatics Fest last weekend. "And it's just a great chance to have continuity and growth...I was fortunate. I played for the same coordinator for 14 years. And when you have the same system, it's the same language every single year. Learning a new system every year is tough."

There are certainly some ex quarterbacks who are head coaches that call their own plays scattered throughout college and the NFL. But the majority of head football coaches don't meet that criteria. Florida State head coach Mike Norvell, for example, calls plays for the Seminoles, but he was a wide receiver in college. Auburn's Hugh Freeze is another head coach who calls plays, but didn't play quarterback. (Freeze didn't play college football at all.)

Peyton's alma mater is one of the programs that has a head coach who played quarterback that calls offensive plays. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel was a successful quarterback at Oklahoma, and while there's some debate about who's making the play calls on Saturdays in Knoxville, it's been reported by ESPN's Chris Low that Heupel is the Vols' primary offensive play caller.

Josh Heupel said he will remain the main play-caller, but it would also be a shared duty with OC Joey Halzle and OL coach Glen Elarbee. "Coach Elarbee and I have been together going on 9 years, and Joey continues to take great understanding and ownership in what we're doing."
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) July 16, 2024

Peyton's big plus for head coaches might be great for quarterback development, but it might not be good for a team's chances of winning a national championship at the collegiate level.

The last college team to win a national championship with a head coach that was the primary offensive play caller was Florida State (under Jimbo Fisher) in 2013.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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