Ryan Manalac's UConn Defense Leads the Pack with Unbeaten Streak
Under first-year head coach Jason Candle, UConn football has brought in over 60 new players, yet the Huskies' defensive coordinator Ryan Manalac believes his unit can match the success of the last two nine-win seasons.
Ryan Manalac, a 40-year-old Ohio native, has been impressing his players with his consistent leadership and high-intensity environment. "We have to come together," Manalac said. "We were talking today as a unit, and when you think of all the champions in all the major sports, they all have elite defenses." Manalac's message is clear: a strong defense is the key to the Huskies' success.
Junior defensive lineman Avery Dunn, a transfer from Toledo, praises Manalac's leadership. "He brings the same standard every day, creating a high-intensity environment for us. He sets the tempo for us to be difficult to play against with our high energy and aggression." Dunn also shares a unique anecdote about Manalac's motivational techniques: "He will say, 'Give me three claps and a Ric Flair,' and we will all scream, 'Woooooooo-ahhhh!'"
Manalac's background is impressive, having started as a graduate assistant at Michigan State from 2011-15, where teams won a pair of Big Ten championships and a berth in the 2015 College Football Playoff. He also coached at Valparaiso (linebackers), Ohio Dominican (defensive coordinator), Bucknell (defensive coordinator), and the University of Pittsburgh (linebackers).
The players have responded well to Manalac's coaching style, which emphasizes preparation, effort, and toughness. "I love the overall schematics of our defense because of how vertical we get, how aggressive we are and how much we blitz and get into the backfield," Dunn said. "I think that is the main identity of our defense is we are going to be very aggressive and make it hard for any offense we go against by being disruptive and unpredictable."
Manalac's ability to connect with his players is also notable. He challenged his defensive players to see who could catch the biggest fish this summer, and many of them have taken to fishing as a way to bond and compete with one another. "He is aggressive, but he is a super cool guy on and off the field," junior defensive back Braedyn Moore said. "Just walking around, he is a mean, stalky guy. His calves are three times the size of mine, but he's a good guy."
The Huskies' defense is expected to play a crucial role in their success this season. With Manalac at the helm, they are looking to match the success of the last two nine-win seasons. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how Manalac's defense performs and whether they can live up to their high expectations.
Source: Yahoo Sports
