On Friday, Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel and former star quarterback Peyton Manning were both in attendance at the same high school game in the mid-state. The reason they were both there is likely very different, though.
In the case of Heupel, the meeting between Brentwood Academy and Baylor School is a recruiting opportunity he can’t afford to miss. Those are two of the top football schools in the state, and they consistently pump out SEC-level talent.
On the field, there may be no bigger target than David Gabriel Georges. He is a five-star recruit, according to 247 composite rankings, and the No. 3 running back in the 2027 class out of Baylor. Another notable name is Brentwood receiver Kesean Bowman. He is also a class of 2027 five-star, according to 247 composite rankings, but is currently committed to Oregon. The Vols are still after him despite the early verbal pledge.
Alongside Heupel in attendance is Vols running backs coach DeRail Sims. This points to Gabriel Georges being one of the primary reasons for the trip. However, there are also a pair of current 2026 commits playing in the game. Five-star offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda and three-star defensive back Jamyan Theodore both play for Brentwood and are verbally committed to UT.
Big names at Brentwood Academy for tonight’s Baylor game. #Vols coach Josh Heupel is here to watch a star-studded night that includes 5-star uncommitted 2027 RB David Gabriel Georges.
Peyton Manning is also here. Manning’s son, Marshall, is an eighth grader at Baylor. pic.twitter.com/ElY8hu7tcg
— Tyler Palmateer (@Tpalmateer83) September 5, 2025
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In the case of Manning, his son, Marshall, is transferring to Baylor School. The school is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is just about a two-hour drive and a 100-mile trip to Neyland Stadium. The initial report of the transfer said he will be enrolled as an eighth-grade day student. This likely makes him a class of 2030 recruit.
This move for Marshall Manning comes all the way from Colorado. He previously competed and went to middle school in the state where his father, Peyton Manning, finished his NFL career with the Denver Broncos.
Now, he’ll be much closer to his father’s alma mater of Tennessee in Knoxville. Peyton Manning has been a common sight at Vols events, whether it’s been football games or the baseball national championship in 2024.
It’s not guaranteed that Marshall Manning will follow in his father’s footsteps, though. Peyton Manning himself made the decision to carve his own path by choosing the Vols. Recently, Marshall Manning’s cousin, Arch Manning, made his unique choice of heading to Texas, where he’ll start for the Longhorns this year.
