Fewer than 40 college quarterbacks were chosen to work at this year’s 21st annual Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana, and one of them was former Loyola standout Peter Pujals.
Pujals, who is currently preparing for his senior season as the starting quarterback at Holy Cross, helped train eighth- and ninth-grade quarterbacks from Thursday, June 23, to Sunday, June 26, at the camp.
More Top Picks Best Tempurpedic Ergo Neck Pillow Alternatives
“There were some of the best college quarterbacks in the country there, mostly from the SEC and ACC conferences,” Pujals said. “There were only a few of us there from (smaller) conferences.”
Manning Passing Academy is run by the heralded Manning family — Archie, Peyton, Eli, and Cooper. The camp was held at Nicholls State in Thibodaux, La.
Pujals attended the camp during the summers before and his freshman and sophomore years at Loyola. Returning to the camp as a counselor this year held a special distinction, as counselors got the chance to work out with Eli Manning, who plays quarterback for New York Giants, and Peyton Manning, who retired after playing quarterback for the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts.
“We got to talk and interact with them and they’re just great guys,” Pujals said. “Their older brother Cooper is actually really funny and you can tell that Archie is just a really nice guy. It’s a great family.”
Cooper Manning had a scholarship to Mississippi, but his career as a wide receiver was cut short due to injury and father Archie Manning was an NFL quarterback from 1971-84.
Pujals’ path to becoming a Manning camp counselor began with Dartmouth coach Buddy Teevens, who is annually involved with the camp. Teevens and Holy Cross offensive coordinator Brian Rock urged Pujals to apply for a camp counselor position.
“I sent in a resume and they told me I was invited,” Pujals said. “It was a really cool experience.”
Roughly 1,200 football players attended the camp, which is for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends, and from morning to night, they were drilled on skills.
“Each counselor had his own station to run every day and the kids kind of came through in a rotation of 12 to 20 kids,” Pujals said. “My station was quick, uncovered throws, where they learned to get the ball out of their hand fast. At nights there was a 7-on-7 league and I coached a team for the two nights it ran.”
Pujals’ connection to Thibodaux also goes beyond the Manning camp.
“Our family has a very long history there,” said Pedro Pujals, Peter’s father. “I grew up in Thibodaux and Peter was often there visiting his grandparents.”
Peter Pujals was thus already very familiar with Thibodaux, a town of roughly 15,000 residents located 60 miles southwest of New Orleans.
Peter Pujals, who is from Glenview, led Loyola to a state semifinal appearance in 2012 as the team’s senior quarterback. As a junior in 2011, Peter Pujals caught four passes for 61 yards in Loyola’s 21-17 loss to Bolingbrook in the Class 8A state title game.
Peter Pujals is entering his fourth season at Holy Cross, a college of 3,000 students in Worcester, Mass. The Crusaders, an FCS program, went 6-5 overall and 3-3 in the Patriot League last season.
Peter Pujals ranks third all-time at Holy Cross in completions, pass attempts, and yards of total offense heading into his senior campaign.
“My transition to college football wasn’t too difficult and I have to give a lot of credit to Loyola,” Peter Pujals said. “Our offense was pretty advanced in high school. We’d watch film and do a lot of the same stuff I do at Holy Cross, so I was already used to doing a lot of this stuff.”
Gary Larsen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press