Ole Miss is honoring Eli Manning on Saturday, but a move to add a new paint scheme to the end zones in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium may also have a nod toward a No. 1 recruit.

To promote “Eli Manning Day” on Saturday against LSU, the program tweeted, “When a legend returns home, you roll out the red carpet.” The ceremony was originally planned for last season, but limited capacity and other pandemic restrictions pushed the plans to this season.

The Rebels will honor legend Manning on Saturday with his jersey retirement ceremony, and the day will serve as a reminder for what the star quarterback did during his time in Oxford.

On Monday, coach Lane Kiffin said the ceremony would drum up even more hype for the game.

Of course, the subplot is the visit by Manning’s nephew Arch, who is the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2023, and this will be seen as a not-so-subtle move to add to Ole Miss’ recruiting pitch to him.