Inside the Texas spending blitz that hooked Arch Manning and a No. 2 recruiting class (2024)

Editor’s Note: This story is included in The Athletic’s Best of 2022. View the full list.

Arch Manning had visited the University of Texas before.

The nation’s No. 1 overall recruit and scion of the Manning family made three unofficial visits to the school in a nine-month span, but when he arrived in Austin the weekend of June 17, it was different.

This was his official visit to Texas, a designation that meant the school could roll out the red carpet for him, using its expansive resources to try to impress the most coveted quarterback recruit in decades. A luxury hotel. An open bar for parents. A smorgasbord of food and nonstop entertainment. Nine recruits, including Manning, received first-class treatment throughout their 48 hours in Austin, all paid for out of the school’s substantial recruiting budget.

According to receipts and expense invoices obtained by The Athletic via open records requests, Texas spent nearly $280,000 for the mid-June weekend.

Manning rarely speaks publicly about his recruitment. But through records, itineraries, interviews with other attendees and social media posts, here’s an inside look at the recruits’ whirlwind weekend.

Friday, June 17

1 p.m. – 2 p.m. — Arrival

Recruits filed in after lunchtime on Friday and immediately stepped into luxurious surroundings. Texas wants its recruits to feel special, so official visitors stay in the Four Seasons Austin, a five-star hotel that overlooks Lady Bird Lake. When Queen Elizabeth II visited the city in 1991, she stayed at the Four Seasons.

For recruits who built up an appetite traveling to Austin (UT spent more than $21,000 on airfare, car service and other travel expenses), refreshments awaited. A left turn from the main lobby, with its earthy tones and natural light, led to a conference room with a lunch spread. Chicken tenders, pizza and greens, a soft pretzel bar and a quesadilla station filled guests’ bellies upon arrival.

In recruits’ rooms, there was enough sugar to make Willy Wonka blush. Customized 6-inch round cakes, with burnt orange and white icing, a Longhorn on the top and “TEXAS” around the side. Personalized cookie cakes. Players’ favorite candies and snacks, which recruiting staffers stocked up on at a local H-E-B grocery store.

Four-star cornerback Malik Muhammad had two types of Jack Links beef jerky, Skittles, Twix and Trolli gummy worms among his personal bounty. Parents and siblings received similar treatment, because NCAA rules allow schools to provide lodging, meals and entertainment for up to four of a recruits’ family members on official visits.

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A post shared by Malik Muhammad (@returnof7)

Four-star receiver Mikal Harrison-Pilot arrived with his family of five in tow. Staffers had a baby bed and UT blanket waiting for his 1-year-old brother, Beaux.

Posh hotels in downtown Austin are pricey compared to their smaller college town counterparts: Texas spent $46,696 on the 34 rooms it booked for recruits, family members and some UT coaches and staffers. That total factors in a group rate of $419 per night for most of the rooms. A reservation search for an individual two-night stay this weekend shows the lowest room rate at $870 per night and most well above $1,000 a night.

The lunch buffet tacked on another $17,319.71. Add in the $1,813.74 spent on the custom cakes and snacks and the Longhorns cleared $65,000 before the recruits stepped foot on campus.

“If you’ve never been to something nice before, you definitely got to experience that at Texas,” said Chris Pilot, Mikal’s father.

3 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. — Stadium arrival, staff introductions, photo shoot and the “Texas total package”

After settling in, recruits shuttled to Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Players checked in at the recently renovated Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center, which sits as the south end zone of the stadium and houses team operations.

In the team meeting room, coach Steve Sarkisian and his full-time assistants introduced themselves to the visitors and pitched what Texas has to offer.

Then came the most Instagrammable part of the visit: the photo shoot.

These shoots have grown in importance in recent years. Texas set up six locations for them: in an entryway to Moncrief, an area near the locker room, the players’ lounge, the barbershop, the tunnel leading to the field and the field itself.

Had a great Official visit @TexasFootball !🤟🏾🤟🏾 pic.twitter.com/wWZgi061ry

— Sydir Jr. (@JrSydir) June 19, 2022

The shoots take time. Bored recruits and family members can quickly kill the vibe of a visit, so Texas used multiple locations simultaneously to keep everyone engaged. Music, played through speakers UT rented, set the mood. DKR has a quality sound system, but when the stands are empty, loud music from it creates an echo. So the staff rented speakers (price tag: $3,359.12) to put on the field to keep the acoustics pleasant.

Before dinner, visitors took in a presentation the staff dubbed the “Texas total package.” It covers every aspect of the football program, campus life, academics, Austin, life after football and more.

John Randle, the father of 2023 tight end recruit and Manning teammate Will Randle, who visited the same weekend, lauded all that Sarkisian and the staff laid out.

“How they pitched everything the university has to offer, the city has to offer, what (Sarkisian) wants to do with the program … that was impressive stuff,” he said.

6:45 p.m. – 9 p.m. — Dinner, parent social at J.W. Marriott

Following the presentation, recruits and families enjoyed a dinner buffet in a club area on the eighth floor of DKR. The guest list hit triple digits when including visitors, Texas’ full-time coaching staff, spouses, recruiting staff and support staff. The meal, complete with co*cktails, beer, wine, flatware rental, a bartender’s fee and an ice sculpture, cost $29,129.40.

Official visitors introduced themselves and their families to attendees during the dinner and, after the meal concluded, were released with their player hosts.

While recruits hit the town, coaches, spouses and recruits’ families trekked to the J.W. Marriott for a parent social, where the drinks flowed.

Perched on a rooftop bar, around the corner from a giant pool with an outline of Texas at the bottom, parents and coaches fraternized over a seemingly endless supply of spirits. You name it, they drank it: More than 40 glasses of Tito’s Vodka (which is headquartered in Austin), some Casamigos Blanco tequila and a variety of whiskeys, margaritas and other mixed drinks. Someone even ordered a $70 glass of Johnnie Walker Blue.

Parents appreciated the chance to unwind and speak to each other and coaches in a casual setting.

“We sat out on the balcony and got to know the coaching staff on more of a personal level and not so much about football,” Pilot said.Randle lauded the staff’s effort and engagement with the families. He enjoyed mingling with other parents, too.

The final receipt length rivaled that of your local CVS. After more than $6,000 worth of liquor, $756 of hors d’oeuvres, a smattering of beer and wine, a 20 percent service charge and a $2,400 rental fee, the pool bar tab came out to $11,880. According to the university handbook, all alcohol purchases for entertainment and official occasions related to athletics are processed, approved and purchased via donations. (The university is exempt from state sales tax and mixed beverage sales tax.)

As parents and prospects returned to the Four Seasons late, hunger struck and some debated whether to have food delivered via Uber Eats.

No need. A staffer alerted them that another buffet, identical to the one that greeted the prospects after check-in, was set up in the conference room.

“It’s 2 a.m. and they have a full spread, in this room, just full of food,” Pilot said.

Saturday, June 18

9 a.m. – noon — Breakfast and the “Longhorn experience”
2 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. — Top Golf/R&R

Day 2 began back at the stadium for breakfast at the UT Club (buffet, omelet station, liquor and wine added up to $10,226), followed by standard visit fare: a campus and facility tour, meetings with position coaches, academic meetings at the McCombs School of Business and a rundown of the nutrition and the strength and conditioning programs.

The depth and detail of Texas’ nutrition program stood out to the Pilots, who had a lengthy conversation with assistant sports dietitian Kirsten Gregurich, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts.

“She was able to tell us what (the NFL) looks for if you make it to the next level,” Chris Pilot said. “It was a wild surprise to know how detailed they are as far as (body composition) in the draft process.”

In the afternoon, recruits got in some hacks at TopGolf. Not all the parents went and Texas recruiting staffers factored that in. Typically, by the middle of the second day of an official visit, the whirlwind experience catches up to families, who may just need a nap. So one shuttle was reserved for the hotel and the other for TopGolf.

Randle enjoyed the trip out because it allowed him to have the best of both worlds.

“The kids kind of took on the golf and the dads sat with some of the coaches,” Randle said.

Plenty of food and drinks were on hand: three types of fajitas, guacamole and queso, rice, black beans, desserts, beer and liquor. Total tab for 75 guests: $9,497.72.

6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. — Dinner, a cruise and another parent social

On Saturday night, the group splurged at III Forks, an upscale steakhouse just a few blocks from the Four Seasons.

Attendees ate enough to get the meat sweats: Forty-six 7-ounce lobsters, 34 bone-in ribeyes, 26 8-ounce filets, 17 New York strips, sea bass, chicken fried lobster, lobster mac and cheese, the list went on.

Chris Pilot ordered the Tomahawk ribeye, which rang up at $135.

“I’ve never had a Tomahawk before, so why not?” he said.

While the food was good, the camaraderie was better. Earlier in the day, Pilot and his son spent considerable time talking Xs and Os with receivers coach Brennan Marion during position meetings. But at dinner, Pilot had an in-depth conversation with running backs coach Tashard Choice about his move from Georgia Tech to Texas. He also met Gary Patterson, the former TCU coach and current special assistant to Sarkisian, and his wife, Kelsey.

After fees and a $6,000 tip, the III Forks bill totaled $36,900.

While recruits went out again, parents would cap the night at another social at the W Austin hotel, just a short walk from the Four Seasons. With the trip nearing its conclusion, it was a way for the coaches to get a feel for what parents liked about the visit experience and continue building bonds. The bill from the Saturday night social totaled $31,628.75.

But first, they boarded a boat for a cruise on Lady Bird Lake.

Through the hour-long cruise — which cost $2,357.50 — recruits’ families enjoyed the Austin skyline and sundaes from Amy’s Ice Cream, with choices of Mexican vanilla, dark chocolate, Oreo, nonfat and nondairy, and toppings ranging from M&Ms, sprinkles and pecans to hot fudge and fresh-cut strawberries.

Pilot called it his favorite part of the visit because of the relaxed atmosphere.

“You got to see who the coaches really were,” he said. “Somebody might have known a song that you’d never guess they would. Nobody was shying away from who they really are.”

And the cruise included a uniquely Austin experience and tourist attraction.

Each night from early spring through the end of summer, people line up along the Congress Avenue Bridge.

The bridge, which was renovated in 1980, became home to North America’s largest urban bat population. Around dusk, more than a million Mexican free-tailed bats emerge for their night flights. The group had a perfect spot to watch.

Sunday, June 19

9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. — Breakfast with Sark

On the final day of the trip, only one thing remained on the agenda before recruits departed: breakfast at the Sarkisians’.

Visitors descended on the family’s contemporary two-story, 5,331-square foot home in Rollingwood, a small community within west Austin. The corner lot includes a guest living area, a pool and a side yard putting green. Sarkisian purchased it in 2021, four months after his Texas hiring, but the home recently hit the market, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

It was also a chance for one-on-one time with Sarkisian.

Unlike Manning, who had officially visited Georgia and Alabama, this was Will Randle’s first official visit. He, too, had taken multiple unofficials to Texas and other programs, earning offers from Alabama and several other Power 5 schools. His father sensed he might commit if the Texas official went well.

“In my mind, he had already made up his mind,” John Randle said. “He loved it.”

After speaking with Sarkisian, Will committed. The family cherished the moment, particularly John. He lost his father, who showed up to all of Will’s practices and games, two years ago. Will pledged to the Longhorns on Father’s Day.

“That was pretty special,” John said.

Will Randle, Texas’ newest 2023 commit, with head coach Steve Sarkisian pic.twitter.com/I9OmRQYsa8

— Sam Khan Jr. (@skhanjr) June 19, 2022

11 a.m. — Departures begin

Will Randle announced his commitment via social media at 11:57 a.m. Longhorn fans were giddy, not just because they added a quality recruit, but because of what they perceived it meant in the Manning chase.

In reality, though Manning and Randle and their respective families are longtime friends and they took the occasional visit together, the recruitments were individual. Nelson Stewart, their coach at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, maintained that over the last year and Randle’s father concurred.

“Their deal was separate,” John Randle said. “The coaches did a great job on telling him ‘We’re recruiting you with or without (Arch).’”

The buzz persisted following Will’s announcement, even though Manning’s timeline was unclear. The day after Manning returned home from Austin, Stewart told The Athletic “there’s no rush. When he knows, he knows.”

Three days later, Manning called Will to inform him they would continue being teammates, then let the world know his intentions with a single tweet, still the only one Manning has posted to date.

Committed to the University of Texas. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/jHYbjBaF5K

— Arch Manning (@ArchManning) June 23, 2022

Of the nine recruits who visited that weekend, four have since committed to the Longhorns. Muhammad and four-star defensive lineman Sydir Mitchell both joined the class in July.

Four others — four-star receiver Jaquaize Pettaway (Oklahoma), four-star linebacker Raul Aguirre (Miami), four-star defensive lineman Hunter Osborne (Alabama) and three-star defensive lineman My’Keil Gardner (Oregon) — committed elsewhere. Mikal Harrison-Pilot remains uncommitted, but Texas is in his top five, along with Oklahoma, TCU, Houston and Cal.

The following visit weekend, June 24-26, proved grander even without Manning. Though the itinerary was largely the same, the bigger scale with 14 official visitors left a deeper dent on the recruiting budget, as costs soared to nearly $350,000. The tab for both weekends combined approached $630,000.

The Longhorns got a strong return on the investment. Of the 11 visitors who weren’t committed to Texas before that final June weekend, nine eventually joined the class (three others entered the weekend already committed to Texas). Of the 23 visitors across both weekends, 16 are now Longhorn commits, accounting for 72 percent of Texas’ 2023 recruiting class.

That domino effect, of which Manning was the linchpin, eventually vaulted the Longhorns near the top of the national recruiting rankings. As of Thursday, Texas ranked No. 2 in the 247Sports Composite behind only Alabama.

The visit counts as just one small, yet expensive, part of a larger process. While the parents who spoke to The Athletic lauded the amenities and top-notch treatment they received, they stressed the importance of the relationships, which certainly proved critical in Manning’s case.

But the hospitality didn’t hurt.

“It was definitely a five-star visit,” Chris Pilot said.

(Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic; photo: Chris Graythen / Getty Images)