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As anyone in the horse industry will tell you, winning is in the bloodlines. Football is no different. Sons of football legends are littered across the NFL, from Super Bowl MVPs Peyton and Eli Manning to 2008 second overall draft pick Chris Long. With an "Elway" and a "Montana" back in the spotlight, take a look at the next batch of namesakes following in their fathers' footsteps on the collegiate gridiron. Jack Elway, QB (Arizona State): Currently redshirting his freshman season, the son of Denver Broncos legend John Elway is attending the Hall of Famer's Pac-10 rival, Arizona State, to play under family friend Dennis Erickson. And yes, John witnessed ASU destroy Stanford on Sept. 6, 41-17. Jack intentionally avoided The Farm because "it was hard enough growing up in Denver." Jack threw seven interceptions in the playoffs of his final high school game at Cherry Creek, located in Englewood. Not only did Jack have to face John Elway, two-time Super Bowl champion, he also had to face John Elway, Cherry Creek quarterback coach. But The Comeback Kid always made sure to put being a dad ahead of being a coach.  Jack Elway (left) tosses under the eye of famous father and high school coach (right) John Elway. "I was definitely bummed - nothing like that has ever happened to me," Jack said. "But my dad was there and he kept picking me up… He told me, ‘It happens to every quarterback…There's five billion in China that don't care about how many interceptions you throw.' " Jack was so enthused about the idea of a fresh start in Tempe he even planned to begin forming his own identity with a new uniform number. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. He just-so-happened to end up with No. 7 - again. "People just give me No. 7 all the time," Jack said. "That happened in middle school, too. The number just kind of finds me." Jack plans on changing it next year when he will compete with three others to replace Rudy Carpenter as the 2009 starting quarterback.
Certain outrageous expectations come with being John Elway's son. Like getting drafted as the No. 1 overall pick, being a Super Bowl MVP and recreating The Drive every time his team's trailing with 2:00 remaining. But the most ridiculous? That's easy. "Probably just the rocket arm. Everyone expects me to have that super-strong, super-accurate cannon that one in a billion people get." Even now, Jack says his arm strength "isn't even close" to that of his 48-year-old father. But already 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Jack's holding out hope that during the next five years he can finally overtake the old man and that bionic arm.  Montana in Indiana: Nate Montana enters Notre Dame with less fanfare than his famous dad. Nate Montana, QB (Notre Dame): Have the prayers of Notre Dame fans everywhere been answered with another Montana arrival in South Bend? Not so fast. Not much is expected of Nate Montana who, unlike Elway, will live in his father's shadow at the old alma mater. The preferred walk-on was a third string quarterback in high school, but Irish fans are quick to point out that Joe was once the seventh-string QB for the Irish. To keep the pressure off Nate, his mom Jennifer reminds him that Joe played one season in college and, on top of that, "he played like crap." Keep an eye on Nate's little brother, Nick, currently a junior in high school and the stud quarterback of Oaks Christian Academy, the same high school as current Irish QB Jimmy Clausen. Not enough star power? The junior varsity team has Trevor Gretzky (son of Wayne) behind center and Trey Smith (son of Will) at wideout. Cameron Heyward, DE (Ohio State): Best known for his Zest Body Wash commercials - "Ironhead, what's with this thingy?" - the late Craig Heyward was also notorious for the crushing blows he handed out. If you think tackling Ironhead was tough, imagine getting blindsided by his son, Cameron, a starting defensive end for Ohio State. A 6-6, 280-pound sophomore, Heyward is already considered one of the best defensive ends in the Big Ten. And the way pass rushers are being valued these days, Cameron should be a very rich man soon.
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