Biography
Manning is in his third season with the Colts as tight ends coach. He rejoined Indianapolis in 2023 after serving in the same capacity for the team in 2018. He has 18 years of coaching experience, including 15 seasons at the collegiate level. Manning was a three-time Broyles Award (nation's top assistant) semifinalist.
Manning is in his third season with the Colts as tight ends coach. He rejoined Indianapolis in 2023 after serving in the same capacity for the team in 2018. He has 18 years of coaching experience, including 15 seasons at the collegiate level. Manning was a three-time Broyles Award (nation's top assistant) semifinalist.
In 2023, Manning's group helped Indianapolis finish in the top 10 in the NFL in points per game (23.3 – tied-10th) and rushing yards per game (121.1 – 10th). The Colts tight ends compiled 70 receptions for 883 yards and six touchdowns. Kylen Granson led the position group with 30 receptions for 368 yards (12.3 avg.) and one touchdown. He established single-season career highs in receptions, receiving average and receiving touchdowns. Manning tutored rookie Will Mallory, whom the team selected in the fifth round (162nd overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. Mallory finished his debut season with 18 receptions for 207 yards.
Prior to returning to the Colts, Manning was most recently hired by the University of Cincinnati as the team's offensive coordinator and tight ends coach in 2023.
In his second stint at Iowa State from 2019-22, Manning helped produce three of the most prolific offenses in the history of Cyclone football while serving as offensive coordinator (2021-22), offensive coordinator/tight ends (2020) and offensive coordinator/running backs (2019). Iowa State broke the school record for total offense (444.3) and had the third-best scoring offense (32.2) in school history in 2019 and followed it up with the second-best scoring offense (32.9) and third-best total offense (436.3) totals in Cyclone history in 2020.
In 2021, the Cyclones recorded the fourth-best scoring average (31.3) and the fifth-best total offense (424.5) in the history of the program. Iowa State also ranked second nationally in red zone offense, converting on 47-of-49 trips (95.9 percent). Consensus All-American running back Breece Hall compiled 253 carries for 1,472 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also registered 36 receptions for 302 yards and three touchdowns. Hall's 1,774 all-purpose yards were the third-most in single-season school history. He set school career records in scoring (336 points) and total touchdowns (56), and broke the all-time NCAA FBS record for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (24). Hall was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. He was selected by the New York Jets in the second round (36th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Manning was instrumental in the development of quarterback Brock Purdy, who set or tied 32 school records and is the school's winningest quarterback with 30 wins. Purdy's career totals in total offense (13,347 – seventh), completions (993 – seventh) and passing yards (12,170 – eighth) all rank in the top 10 in Big 12 history. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round (262nd overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft.
In 2020, Iowa State finished the regular season in first place in the final Big 12 standings, made the Big 12 Championship game and qualified for a New Year's Six bowl for the first time in school history. The Cyclones defeated Oregon in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. The Cyclones averaged 239.5 passing yards per game and 195.0 rushing yards per game. They ranked third in the Big 12 in rushing and ninth nationally in rushing touchdowns (school record 31).
Hall led the nation in rushing yards (1,527) and broke school records in rushing touchdowns (21), total touchdowns (23), multi-touchdown rush games (eight) and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (12). He became Iowa State's first-ever unanimous All-American.
The Cyclones garnered significant contributions at tight end as the position group ranked first nationally in receptions (82) and second in receiving yards (1,057). All three of his tight ends – Charlie Kolar, Chase Allen, Dylan Soehner – earned All-Big 12 recognition in 2020, including All-America honors for the second-straight season for Kolar. Kolar, Iowa State's first-ever three-time All-American and three-time Academic All-American, has the most career receptions (168), career receiving yards (2,181) and career touchdowns (23) by a tight end in program history. He was the winner of the 2021 William V. Campbell Trophy, given annually to college football's top scholar-athlete. Kolar was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round (128th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft.
In 2019, the Cyclones averaged the most yards per game in the history of the program at 444.3, breaking a record that stood since 1976. Purdy set virtually all of Iowa State's season passing marks, including passing yards (3,982) and passing touchdowns (27), to help the Cyclones break another school record and rank 11th nationally in passing offense (311.3).
With Indianapolis in 2018, Manning was part of a Colts team that finished with a 10-6 regular season record, won in the AFC Wild Card Round and had an appearance in the AFC Divisional Round. Indianapolis became the third team in NFL history to start a season 1-5 and make the playoffs. Additionally, the Colts were the second team in NFL history to start a season 1-5 and win a playoff game.
Indianapolis finished ranked in the top 10 in points per game (27.1 – fifth), yards per game (386.2 – seventh), passing yards per game (278.8 – sixth), fewest sacks allowed (18 – first), first downs per game (23.2 – sixth), third down percentage (48.6 percent – first) and red zone percentage (68.75 percent – fifth). Quarterback Andrew Luck threw for 4,593 yards and 39 touchdowns while tying an NFL record with touchdown passes to 13 different targets. He was named the Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Manning's group of Eric Ebron (14), Erik Swoope (three), Mo Alie-Cox (two), Jack Doyle (two) and Ryan Hewitt (one) combined for 22 touchdowns (21 receiving, one rushing). The unit's 21 touchdown receptions were a single-season franchise record and led the NFL in 2018. Colts tight ends accounted for 108 receptions, which ranked fifth in single-season team history and was third-most in the league in 2018.
Ebron established single-season career highs in receptions (66), receiving yards (750), receiving touchdowns (13) and total touchdowns (14). His 13 receiving touchdowns set a Colts single-season record for a tight end. Ebron led all tight ends in receiving touchdowns and tied for the second-most among all players. His 14 total touchdowns tied for fifth in the NFL, and he was selected to his first career Pro Bowl.
Manning was the offensive coordinator/offensive line coach at Iowa State from 2016-17. He helped produce two of the most productive offensive seasons in Cyclones history, averaging 27.7 points in 2016 and 29.2 points in 2017 (tied-fifth in school history).
With Manning calling the plays, Iowa State averaged 421.6 yards of total offense in 2016, the seventh-best total in school history, and established then the top-two passing offenses in the history of the program (272.9 in 2017; 258.8 in 2016).
In 2017, the Cyclones finished with an 8-5 record, the second-most wins in school history, and a victory in the 2017 Liberty Bowl over Memphis, only the fourth bowl win in the history of the program. Iowa State also broke the school record for wins over ranked opponents (three), victories on the road (five) and appeared in the AP national rankings for the first time in 12 years.
Manning's offense produced on the ground and in the air as Iowa State registered a school-record five 300-yard passing games with three different quarterbacks and a 1,000-yard rusher in First Team All-Big 12 running back David Montgomery.
Wide receiver Allen Lazard joined Montgomery as a First Team All-Big 12 selection and finished his career with school records in receptions (241), receiving yards (3,360) and 100-yard receiving games (12).
The Cyclones tallied five 40-point games, tying the school record, recorded 274 first downs, the second-best total in the program's record book, and had 47 touchdowns, ranking third in school history.
Discipline was one characteristic of Manning's unit. The Cyclones broke the school record for fewest turnovers in a season with 10, ranking second nationally, and ranked 14th nationally in fewest penalties per game at 4.38. Iowa State went nearly the entire season without losing a fumble, tying the FBS record for fewest lost fumbles in a season with only one, which occurred in the final four minutes of the Liberty Bowl. The offensive line allowed just 19.0 sacks during the season, ranking second in the Big 12 and 26th nationally.
In 2016, Iowa State averaged 421.6 yards of total offense which was the fourth-best single-season total in school history. The Cyclones registered a 1,000-yard receiver in All-Big 12 performer Lazard – one of four players to break the 1,000-yard plateau in school history – and three 500-yard rushers (Montgomery, Mike Warren and Joel Lanning) for the first time in school history. Against Big 12 competition, the Cyclones set school records in the Big 12 era (1996-present) in scoring (29.4) and total offense (439.8).
Following the season, Manning was recognized for his work as one of 40 semifinalists for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach.
Prior to Iowa State, Manning spent four seasons (2012-15) as the offensive line coach at Toledo. The Rockets tallied three nine-win seasons and qualified for three bowl appearances in his four seasons at Toledo.
Despite replacing five starters from the season before, Toledo was one of just 12 teams in the FBS in 2015 to rank in the nation's top 40 in both passing and rushing, as the Rockets won nine games and advanced to a bowl game. Manning's unit allowed just 4.0 sacks during the season, ranking second nationally. Manning was named the 2015 FootballScoop Offensive Line Coach of the Year for his work with the line. Offensive lineman Storm Norton earned First Team All-MAC honors in his first full season as a starter.
In 2014, three Rocket offensive linemen earned All-MAC honors: Greg Mancz, Josh Hendershot and Jeff Myers. Mancz tallied First Team All-MAC honors and was named a Second Team All-America selection by the Football Writers Association of America. Mancz also became the first lineman in MAC history to win the Vern Smith Leadership Award, presented annually to the league's top player.
Toledo led the Mid-American in just about every major offensive category in 2014, including scoring offense (36.6), total offense (490.5) and rushing offense (256.4). The season culminated with a nine-touchdown performance in a 63-44 victory over Arkansas State in the GoDaddy Bowl, capping a 9-4 season.
The Rockets led the nation by allowing just 6.0 sacks in 2013. Toledo's offense ranked No. 4 in the MAC in total offense (447.3 yards per game) and No. 2 in rushing offense (240.6). Three Rockets offensive linemen were named All-MAC in Zac Kerin, Mancz and Jeff Myers.
In 2012, Manning guided an offensive line that guided the Rockets to the third-ranked offense in the Mid-American Conference (445.2 yards per game) and a 9-4 mark that included a trip to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Kerin earned First Team All-MAC honors, while Mancz notched Third Team All-MAC recognition.
Manning also garnered recognition for his role as a recruiter when Rivals.com named him one of the nation's top recruiters among non-BCS schools in 2013.
Manning served as offensive line coach at his alma mater, Mount Union, in 2011. The Purple Raiders went 14-1 and advanced to the Division III national championship game before losing to Wisconsin-Whitewater, 13-10.
In 2010, Manning served as Toledo's director of football operations. His first stint with the Rockets began in 2009 when he was hired as a graduate assistant where he worked with the offense.
A native of Youngstown, Ohio, Manning was a two-time all-conference player at Ursuline High School. He made first team all-state as a senior, leading his school to the Division IV state championship in 2000. He played collegiately at Mount Union, where he was a two-time all-conference player at left tackle. Manning, who was a team captain as a senior, helped his team win NCAA Division III national championships in 2002 and 2005. The Purple Raiders had a 59-3 record during his time on the team.
Manning began his coaching career as the offensive line coach at Massillon (Ohio) Jackson High School in 2006. His first job at the collegiate level was at Emory & Henry (Va.) College, where he was the offensive line/run-game coordinator from 2007-08.
Manning and his wife, Sally, have a daughter, Josephine, and a son, Maxwell.
Coaching Career
2006 | Massillon Jackson (Ohio) High School | Offensive Line
2007-2008 | Emory & Henry (Va.) College | Offensive Line/Run-Game Coordinator
2009 | Toledo | Graduate Assistant
2010 | Toledo | Director of Football Operations
2011 | Mount Union | Offensive Line
2012-2015 | Toledo | Offensive Line
2016-2017 | Iowa State | Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
2018 | Indianapolis Colts | Tight Ends
2019 | Iowa State | Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs
2020 | Iowa State | Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends
2021-2022 | Iowa State | Offensive Coordinator
2023-2024 | Indianapolis Colts | Tight Ends