DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and Rockies first baseman Todd Helton have been working out at Duke this week, an athletic department spokesman says Thursday.
The spokesman said both are there primarily to visit David Cutcliffe, who was Tennessee's offensive coordinator when both were college quarterbacks.
The cover was blown earlier Thursday when Matt Skura, a Duke football player, posted on Twitter that he was "stretching" next to Manning. The post was later taken down.
Manning has spent the past five months recovering from his third neck surgery in less than two years, and there have been conflicting reports about how much progress the four-time league MVP has made. Manning's doctor has cleared him to resume playing, although Colts owner Jim Irsay says he has not yet passed the team's physical.
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Comments » 41
kdaff51 writes:
Really? Where did they eat? Did Kiffin have anything to do with it? Come on "Bones" fill us in.
LJS1984 writes:
These kids and their Twitter, how stupid.
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor not know anything about this? Witch Doctor say sounds like Peyton with a long time family friend? ORRRRRRR give it a couple minutes and the trolls will give us alternative theories/innuendos...lol
Bones never guess.
Witch_Doctors writes:
* Kiffen we voted on it.
Bones never "lie". lol
PHAT_VOL writes:
The truth is coming out. Helton and Manning picked Cutcliffe over The Tennessee Vols!!
Why work out at Duke when superior facilities are at the school where both were QB?
This is very interesting.
So why do you think they would choose to work out at Duke instead of The University of Tennessee?
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor hear Peyton got hooked on stem cells, and you can buy them over the counter in NC! Witch Doctor say Hamilton and Dooley ran the Mannings off!!
(lol)
Bones never lie.
Clarkrm0706 writes:
Really? LOL, I mean really?
LJS1984 writes:
Probably because at Duke they knew this would be a non story. At Tennessee it's obviously a story.
PHAT_VOL writes:
HUMMMMMMM No not really.
tenman45 writes:
Peyton went to work out in hopes of keeping his location secret. Also close to some of the finest medical facilities in the United States. Didn't hurt that he and Cutcliff are still very good friends.
Tacamo01 writes:
I heard that Manning did not want to draw any attention during workouts. That being said, there would have been hundreds of fans and reporters here in Knox staying in hotels which would have increased the retirement bonus for Gloria Ray (KTSC).
volzcrushm writes:
Just curious....since Cutclff and the Mannings have a good history, and Peyton has had physical problems that could lead to NFL retirement.... just curious if Cut and Peyton are discussing future employment options?....hypothetically, Peyton could get in a couple of years of coaching under Cut before being ready to coach at a bigger program.... wonder what witch doctor thinks?
Witch_Doctors writes:
Witch Doctor know nothing and have witnesses! lol. Witch Doctor never thought of that angle..? Witch Doctor really doubt Peyton ever coach at Tennessee(opinion)..Why and ruin your legacy? Witch Doctor say Peyton does a lot for the University and recruiting already Witch Doctor say Peytons stock in this state can only go down plus wheres Archie gonna sleep? lol
Bones never lie.
iowavol writes:
Much ado about nuttin'.
Pullingguard writes:
The chain of friendships have been broken between Peyton and the UT facilities. His buddies, coaching staff, etc., are no longer there....and who knows maybe Dolley does not want ex players using the facilities...did that not happen... And Payton probably has confidence in what he hears from the main man at Duke about his progress, etc.
clvolfan writes:
Probably because Peyton knows some of the best doctors are at Duke,and might need some better evaluations than he is getting at Indy.
not_guilty writes:
Why would someone who has made tens of millions of dollars per year in the NFL, who has young children at home, want to coach college football? Think about it. Recruiting is an ordeal.
A gig as a broadcast analyst would likely pay much better relative to the time and energy involved.
Pullingguard writes:
Dont get ugly Nacho and show where you reside.
cloudodust writes:
It tells me if they're visting Cut, respect WAS earned and they were comfortable not getting hounded by the KNS. Cut recruited a friend of ours son, a punter named Cunningham...
Lil_ZZGataBoy writes:
Can't you see what's happening? No? You East Tennessee hillybillies are so slow!
DavyC is still POed that he didn't get the Tennessee job 2 years ago, all because he wanted to bring his own staff. DavyC Figures that Vince's boy is going to go belly up in the next year or two, so he's over at Durham building his new staff starting with Helton and Manning! No way UT will turn down his staff next time with Manning and Helton on his team! If that doesn't work out, he figures Freeze will flame out at Ol' Miss in a year or two and he'll move the whole gang back to Oxford! Book it!
FWBVol writes:
So mr. know nothing, what is a Major League first baseman supposed to coach in college football? Maybe you didn't consider that while Helton was a quarterback at Tennessee and started a few games as a junior during Peyton's freshman year....but I'll let you explain that.
chuckfromwoodberry writes:
Mmmmmmm. Natty Ice.
FWBVol writes:
OK, let me try to shed some logical thinking on the situation.
Maybe, just maybe, Peyton went to Duke to get some feedback from David Cutcliffe about his throwing mechanics and how the surgery might have effected them. The guys that were his primary QB coaches with the Colts...Moore and Caldwell, are now with other organizations and Manning can't go to them for pointers or an evaluation. The new coaching staff at Indy has never worked with Peyton so he would have no connection with him.
It makes sense that Manning would go and spend some time with a coach he trusts during his rehab.
And perhaps Peyton suggested to Todd that they spend some time together at Duke. From what I understand, Serrano was on staff at UT when Helton was playing and the two have a good relationship.
This being Serrano's first year, Helton might be trying not to be a distraction to what the coach is trying to do.
Of course, I could be wrong and the sky might really be falling.
Lil_ZZGataBoy writes:
Well Mr. Smart Guy, did you ever wonder what Helton might have accomlished if he didn't tear his knee up in his 3rd start in his junior year against Miss State? A jock like Helton could probably coach whatever position he wants to.
Dalton writes:
Duke has a medical facility that utilizes the latest techniques tied to research...and Peyton's guru being there is the stress free environment that Peyton thrives best in. Indy hired Bruce Arians his former QB coach. That's not the issue. But Peyton knows he's not going to be in Indy after March so a neutral site is a must...Knoxville is way too hot a site...just read what this simple report churned up!
FWBVol writes:
FYI, stick to the swamp lizards, a team you might know something about. The knee you say Helton tore up was actually a sprain or partial dislocation that wasn't too serious. The knee injury did put enough of a fright into Helton that he decided to end his football career a few games earlier than he orginally planned.
And if you think being a jock automatically qualifies someone as a good coach you probably aren't smart enough to be posting on a sports forum.
Helton had potential to be a very good SEC quarterback if he hadn't been the best hitter in the conference during his three years at Tennessee. Helton was never going to come back to Tennessee to play football his senior year, and basically he came back his junior year as a safety net to redshirt senior Jerry Colquitt who ended up blowing out his knee in the first quarter of the season opener.
So yeah, it makes a lot of sense that a guy who has spent the last 15 years playing Major League Baseball and compiling a .323 career batting average would suddenly turn around and coach a sport at the college level he hasn't played since the fall of 1994.
If you think just because a guy was a great athlete that it qualifies him to be a coach you probably don't know enough about sports to be posting on this site.
chrisw2967 writes:
Manning probabaly didnt want to deal with the idiots from KNS if they found out he was on campus.Just imagine how many stories they would have to spin.
creekroad writes:
Helton's not going to coach...he going to be athletic director......Cut is head coach, Petyon off coord & head coach in waiting and Al Wilson DC. (a combination of all the stupid posts that have ever been on here
NYvolFan writes:
That is funny! Well done.
snakeplissken writes:
Many former Vols don't feel welcome at UT any more since Dooley instituted his policy of being notified well in advance. Just the facts.
sixstringmadness writes:
This is not the first time Manning has gone to Duke (or rather Coach Cut) to work out. Too much is being read into this.....
hueypilot writes:
In fact, I believe SI did a short story on how each year in the off season, both Eli and Peyton spent a week or so with Cutcliffe and reviewed footwork, mechanics, throwing motion and studied some film of the previous year. Clearly everybody reading way too much into this. It may also be that Manning's health issue, a neurological one, might benefit from some Duke medical input. Recall that to the horror of all those people that think the medical sun rises and sets in Boston, Teddy Kennedy had his brain surgery done at Duke.
volman2010 writes:
I like this guy.. FACTS baby!!
mrvol2u writes:
Heath decides not to run for N.C. governor. Manning and Helton show up soon after. I see a run for the Sen. or maybe the presidency.
If Ed Orgeron shows up we know the slush fund is in place.
Lil_ZZGataBoy writes:
Hmmmm... I see you come from the school that says "If you can't dazzle 'em with your footwork, you'd better baffle 'em with your B.S." Good try Baffler!
FWIW, my earlier post was TIC! Sucker...
ProfessionalHandicapper writes:
Anybody that thinks Peyton Manning will ever be a College football coach is clueless. People who sign 90 Million Dollar contracts dont spend half a year on the road recruiting kids from the worst locations in America. Manning spent 4 years in Tennessee, the least years he spent in any location in his life. He will be entirely too rich to waste away in some College as a Head Coach. How many Hall of Fame QB's in modern day big money NFL football do you see coaching in the College Ranks? NONE!! get over it, he's not coming back to Knoxville, EVER!
Vols4life77 writes:
ZZ, Helton coaching football Is about as likely as you being smarter than a third grader. In fact Peyton is not coming back to coach either. Your the one baffling in B.S. and you obviously are way over your head. I would suggest just watching and rooting for your gators and just listen so maybe you dont sound so dumb. The only thing in your whole statement that may be partially correct is that MAYBE cutcliff was pissed but who really knows. Did you speak with him? Did he tell you that? Ole miss would never hire cutcliffe either. Not that he did a bad job but he is 57 years old and would be highly unlikely a conference like the SEC would go with someone his age much less go down the same road twice. Your analysis has holes all in it so it would be a good idea if you pinched yourself so you can wake up out of this fairy tale dream. Just like a gator, ignorance is bliss!
Vols4life77 writes:
Nice post!
Colliervol writes:
News flash. You aren't the first one to come up with that thought. Said it many times. I don't know of anybody who has a net worth of, just guessing here, $300 million that would put in the 80 hour a week grind that a football coach has to do.
I think it is more likely that Peyton either works in TV or gets involved in ownership of an NFL team. Who better to dissect a football game than the best on-field analytical mind that the sport has ever seen? He sees things from an on-field standpoint that I guarantee you nobody else can.
The main thing I take from this article that, if he is not working out in Indianapolis any longer, the writing is on the wall that he won't be there this fall. Already thought that anyway but this is just another indicator.
marinevol writes:
As usual, you are right on top of this one, Doc. Stem cell addiction has become epidemic in this country, with stem cell labs popping up all over Tennessee. Hard to believe North Carolina doesn't regulate stem cells more closely. I'm stationed in North Carolina, and I have seen this grow into a major industry. The Columbian stem cell cartels are heavily involved in stem cell trafficing, frequently bringing embryonic stem cells from Peru across the Mexican border. Everyone should be suspicious of abuse if you have a friend or child who has a serious tissue injury or cellular disease which suddenly heals very rapidly.
By the way Doc, have you given anymore thought to becoming a Navy chaplain? They have a lot of religious diversity, but no genuine witch doctors that I know of, and if they had any, they would certainly station them on Marine bases (and nowhere else). We could really use someone like you to keep our morale up. Keep us in mind.
marinevol writes:
There seems to be a lot of speculation that Peyton Manning and Todd Helton are looking for jobs. There is a possibility that they could both be out of work soon, and I know they must both really need the money, so I certainly wish them luck.
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