Sheldon Mickles for March 28, 2009

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Mar 28, 2009 - Page: 1C

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Until Friday afternoon, former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning had never been a speaker at a football coaching clinic.

When Manning told that to former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer at a speaking engagement in Oklahoma City on Thursday night, he was asked if he was going to talk about the sprint-out pass — Manning’s calling card during his record-setting career at Ole Miss in the late 1960s.

Manning passed on that subject while speaking to a large group of high school coaches assembled Friday for the annual LSU Football Coaching Clinic.

Instead, Manning, who warmed up the coaches with some folksy and humorous stories about his college and pro careers — especially his years with the Saints — talked about something he learned early on in his sports career — leadership — and, more importantly, what it all means to the youngsters they’re working with on a daily basis.

Manning began by saying what playing high school football in tiny Drew, Miss., meant to him and how he still thinks about where it all started for him.

“I ride that horse of high school football — and what that means to me,” he said proudly. “I cherish the memories of high school and the guys I played with. I cherish that as much as I do my college and pro careers.”

That’s because, he said, his first mentors — his high school coaches — played a key role in his upbringing as well as his development as a two-sport athlete.

Manning also excelled in baseball at Ole Miss, playing shortstop for the Rebels before deciding he had more of a future in football.

“Every player you coach is going to take your teachings with them the rest of his life,” said Manning, who travels the country as a motivational speaker. “That’s an awesome responsibility.”

He pointed out that many of the early lessons learned at the high school level deal with adversity, which often can result in leadership ability down the road.

And it doesn’t always have to do with sports. It’s the same thing, he said, the entire nation is dealing with right now with the economy.

“So many people right now are experiencing testing times,” Manning said. “It’s not a test we asked for, but we can pass the test. And we’re going to be stronger, wiser and better for it.”

Manning recalled that legendary Ole Miss football coach Johnny Vaught often stressed the value of leadership to his team.