MPA’S NEW DATE

First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
May 24, 2016
REAL DEAL
May 24, 2016
First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
May 24, 2016
REAL DEAL
May 24, 2016

The Manning Passing Academy will return to Thibodaux again this summer.


That’s not a surprise. The first family of football and Colonels Athletic Director Rob Bernardi struck a multi-year deal in 2015 to keep the prestigious football camp in the area for the next six years — a move which will mean literally millions of dollars in revenue for the city of Thibodaux.

But what’s new about this year’s camp is the start time — two weeks sooner than it usually would be held.

Instead of mid-July, this year’s camp will have a little June flare.


The Manning family sent out a press release this week, announcing that the camp will be from June 23-26 at Nicholls this year — as opposed to July date it’d enjoyed for the past 20 years.

The early start date won’t affect the format, nor the prestige of the camp. In the release, MPA spokesman Greg Blackwell said more than 40 of the best college football quarterbacks are slated to attend the four-day event, which has become one of the most anticipated sports weekends of the year in the Houma-Thibodaux area — a host city which always draws the praise of everyone involved.

“Thibodaux has been a wonderful place for us to do this,” Archie Manning said during last year’s event. “The people make it work. They’re hospitable, welcoming and give us everything that we need to allow the young players to come in and get the instruction and tutelage they need during their time here with us.”


The reason for the earlier start date wasn’t listed in the release, but the structure of the event will be the same as it’s always been.

Campers will begin their work on June 23, and will remain in Thibodaux through June 26. On the Friday of the four-day weekend (June 24), media members will be allowed to talk to retired football great Peyton Manning, younger brother and New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and father Archie in an hour-long press conference — the only media availability granted throughout the week.

Reporters will also be given an opportunity to speak with the college counselors during the press conference — a list which has included Andrew Luck, Matt Leinart, Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel, A.J. McCarron and Zach Mettenberger, among several others in years past.


On Saturday, fans get a treat with the Air-It-Out Session, which is a passing showcase and competition

that pits the college counselors against one another in an accuracy competition.

In the contest, quarterbacks have to hit moving targets from short, medium and long distances. The passer who completes the most successful throws wins the event.


It’s a fan-friendly event which allows local football fanatics a chance to see some of the best college passers showcase their skills.

It’s mostly for fun and friendly competition, yes.

But with so many high-profile athletes, it usually ends up getting heated in no time.


“We all want to beat each other — there’s no doubt about that,” McCarron said with a laugh when he was a counselor at the event. “That’s in our nature. I don’t know if we’d be doing our jobs if we didn’t want to be the best at everything we did. We like to encourage one another, but at the same time, we all want to be the one who gets the title.”

“It’s fun to see where you stand against some of the best players in college football,” Mettenberger said when he attended the event. “We all pay attention during the season and see highlights of what all of these guys are doing. But to see it first-hand is excellent. We all learn from one another and it makes us all better players.”

And Thibodaux benefits heavily from the festivities which lie ahead.


The camp annually draws more than 1,000 campers from around the country — often representing all 50 states. Many of the young men travel alone, but some come with their parents, who spent the week at hotels in the area.

With the influx of people in the city, that means the area’s hotels and stores are fuller than normal — a welcome sight in the current economic downturn.

When it was announced that the passing academy had re-upped in Thibodaux, officials said the week has a “multi-million dollar” impact on the area each year.


“The people here deserve the recognition,” Eli Manning said last year. “We’re happy to help them in any way that we can. They do such a nice job allowing us to do this without a hitch.”

“I think it shows how special the people here are,” ESPN analyst Jon Gruden added when he attended the camp. “I love it here, man.

I love Louisiana. I feel like there is no better place to have an event like this than right here.”


Peyton Manning begins his dropback during the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux. The annual football camp will take place from June 23-26 this year on Nicholls campus.

JOSE DELGADO | THE TIMES