Watch: Eli Manning goes undercover at Penn State walk-on tryout

A few weeks ago, Eli Manning was at Holuba Hall for a Penn State practice. In a video on the Penn State football Twitter feed that has since surpassed 3,000 likes, the two-time Super Bowl champion was filmed awarding walk-on punter Barney Amor a scholarship.

At the time, it seemed a bit random. Manning is a Louisiana native who went to school at Ole Miss. Of all the prominent former NFL players out there, why him?

On Monday, those who were curious got an answer.

Manning — who works as an ESPN personality with his brother, Peyton, through Omaha Productions — was at Penn State for a video of his own. With the help and cooperation of James Franklin, Manning went undercover as “Chad Powers,” a home-schooled quarterback attempting to make the Nittany Lions’ roster as a walk-on.

The 15-minute feature highlights the experience of a hopeful walk-on — or as Penn State calls them, “run-on.” Manning, after sitting in a makeup chair for who knows how long, arrived at a tryout in Holuba Hall wearing a wig, a fake mustache and Penn State gear. He ran a suboptimal 40-yard dash, worked through drills with offensive analyst Danny O’Brien and showed off his arm while Franklin watched from afar.

Later that day — after Franklin addressed the run-on candidates and informed them that “Powers” was ineligible — Manning returned to Holuba Hall to recognize Amor.

You can watch the full video here.