If you are a young quarterback and you get an opportunity to get some pointers from the defending Super Bowl champion quarterback you should probably capitalize on it.

That is just what Station Camp’s Kyle Anderton did last week. The sophomore attended the Manning Passing Academy, run by Super Bowl winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning at Nicholls State in Thibodaux, La.

Anderton was one of approximately 1,200 in attendance at the annual camp for those in grades 8-12. The camp caters to offensive skill positions, and with the quarterbacks, works on stance, exchange, drops, set-up, sprint out, play action, screens, ball handling, option, reading defenses and field leadership.

The Manning brothers, along with their other brother, Cooper, and father, Archie, were conducting the camp for the 17th year. In addition to the Mannings, a number of successful coaches and players from high school, college and the pros also help out with the four-day camp.

While Anderton did not get to meet Peyton, he did get to work with Eli, who is coming off his second Super Bowl victory in five seasons. Asked if he was more awestruck by being around Eli or about being able to get instruction from him, Anderton said “ it’s a little of both.”

“I thought, ‘this is pretty legit, this is Eli Manning. I might as well do what he does because I want to do what he does eventually one day,” Anderton said. “You kind of live in the moment but then you think ‘I need to start learning instead of drooling over here.’

He said Eli liked his three-step drop and wanted his stance to be more in his knees instead of his back.

“I really just wanted to be a better quarterback coming out of that camp — better at throwing the ball, and better at reading. The reading part is the hardest, I think.”

Anderton said the help of the college quarterbacks that were brought into help made a big impression on him.

“They had almost every SEC quarterback and they had about 40 DI college quarterbacks and they were all pretty good,” he said. “They all taught you different things about throwing, about play action, five-step, three-step. It was just real cool to have them teach you. I thought I got better I think.”

Another big impression was the Louisiana cuisine.

“It was real good,” he said of the camp. “They had some good food, I’ll tell you that. They had a Cajun dish with crab and rice and gravy, it was awesome.”

But Anderton says he will take away more than just a fondness for the food from the camp.

“I think this one is the camp I want to go to the rest of high school,” he said. “The Manning camp put a big impression on me.” 

— Corby A. Yarbrough, Sports Editor
@Corby_Yarbrough on Twitter
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Photo by Corby A. Yarbrough l THE GALLATIN NEWS
Station Camp's Kyle Anderton rolls out for a pass during Tuesday's passing day at Trousdale County. Last week, the sophomore quarterback attended the Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana.