Roy Manning

Roy Manning will be in his first season on the Nebraska staff in 2026. Manning followed Husker defensive coordinator Rob Aurich to Lincoln after both coached on the San Diego State defensive staff in 2025.

Manning brings a wealth of experience to the Husker staff. He has spent 12 of his 15 seasons coaching in a Power Conference with experience on defensive staffs in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12. He has coached at three of the 10 winningest programs in college football history: Michigan, Nebraska and USC.

At San Diego State last season, Manning helped the Aztecs lead the country in shutouts, red zone defense and yards allowed per pass attempt. SDSU also ranked fifth nationally in scoring defense and seventh in total defense.

Manning also brings a winning mentality to the Husker staff. He won three Big Ten titles as a player at Michigan and as a coach, Manning’s teams have played in the conference championship game in three of his last six seasons, including winning two Big 12 titles and playing for one Pac-12 championship.

BEFORE NEBRASKA
SAN DIEGO STATE: Manning spent the 2025 season as the defensive edges coach at San Diego State, which boasted one of the nation’s top defenses in Manning’s lone season on staff.

In 2025, San Diego State led the country with three shutouts and held eight of its 12 opponents to 10 or fewer points, including five opponents who were held out of the end zone. The Aztecs allowed only 266.7 yards and 12.6 points per game to rank fifth nationally in scoring defense and seventh in total defense. The scoring defense was a 17-point improvement from the 2024 season.

San Diego State became just the ninth team in Mountain West history to allow fewer than 270 yards per game, while the team’s scoring defense was the fifth best in conference history. San Diego State allowed the fewest yards per game by an Aztec team since 1975 and the fewest points per game by an SDSU squad since 1976. San Diego State ranked fifth in the country by allowing only 4.1 yards per play in 2025 and had the No. 2 stop rate in the nation according to ESPN. The Aztec defense also led the country in red zone defense, ranked third in defensive pass efficiency and 16^th in yards allowed per carry (3.2).

San Diego State also led the nation in fewest yards allowed per pass attempt and red zone defense in 2025. The Aztecs’ other top-25 national defensive rankings included: third in pass efficiency defense and defensive touchdowns; fifth in scoring defense, passing defense and first down defense; sixth in opponent completion percentage; seventh in total defense; 12th in third-down defense; 20th in interceptions; and 21st in rushing defense and sacks.

USC: Manning was the assistant head coach for defense and coached the outside linebackers at USC in 2022 and 2023. The Trojans won 19 games in Manning’s two seasons on staff.

Manning’s outside linebackers played a key role in USC ranking 24th nationally in tackles for loss in 2023. In 2022, USC ranked third nationally in interceptions, fifth in takeaways, 12th in defensive touchdowns and 19th in sacks. The outside linebackers contributed heavily to the disruptive defense, highlighted by Korey Foreman’s interception that wrapped up USC’s victory over UCLA that sent the Trojans to the Pac-12 Championship Game.

OKLAHOMA: Manning spent three seasons at Oklahoma, coaching the cornerbacks from 2019 to 2021. The Sooners won two Big 12 titles in Manning’s three seasons on staff, posting a 32-6 record with a top-10 final ranking each year.

In 2021, Manning’s cornerbacks helped lead an opportunistic Sooner defense that ranked fourth nationally in fumble recoveries, 15th in takeaways and 25th in defensive touchdowns. In a Big 12 championship season in 2020, Oklahoma ranked third nationally in interceptions and fourth in third-down defense thanks in large part to the play of Manning’s quarterbacks. OU allowed only 12 passing touchdowns in 2020, the fewest in the country by teams that played nine or more games. The Sooners were also Big 12 champions and a College Football Playoff semifinalist in 2019, when Oklahoma ranked third nationally in third-down defense.

Individually, Sooner defensive backs accounted for nine All-Big 12 awards in Manning’s three seasons. Cornerback Tre Brown was a 2021 NFL Draft pick.

UCLA: Manning was the special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach at UCLA in 2018. The Bruins’ special teams improved from 65th to 20th in the college football S&P+ rankings in one season under Manning’s tutelage, including ranking third nationally in kickoff returns in 2018.

WASHINGTON STATE: For three seasons from 2015 to 2017, Manning was the outside linebackers coach at Washington State. The Cougars won 26 games during Manning’s time on staff and played in a bowl game three consecutive years for just the second time in program history.

In 2017, the outside linebackers helped Washington State rank eighth nationally with 103 tackles for loss and 16th with 38 sacks. The Cougars also ranked ninth nationally in passing defense and takeaways and 16th in total defense. In 2016, Washington State had the No. 29 rush defense in the country. In his first season on staff, Manning helped the Cougars rank eighth nationally in tackles for loss and 30th in sacks in 2015.

MICHIGAN: Manning had two coaching stints at Michigan, his alma matter. He was the Wolverines’ cornerbacks coach in 2014 and the outside linebackers coach in 2013. Manning also served as an offensive graduate assistant in 2011, in his second season of coaching.

Manning helped key an impressive season for the Wolverine defense. Michigan ranked 110th nationally in total defense, 112th in passing defense and 108th in scoring defense in 2010, the season before Manning joined the staff. But with Manning’s help, Michigan posted top-20 rankings in total defense, pass defense and scoring defense both his seasons on staff.

Manning was also on the Michigan staff in 2011 as an offensive graduate assistant who worked with the offensive line.

CINCINNATI: Manning also had two coaching stints at Cincinnati. He coached the Bearcat running backs in 2012 and served as a defensive graduate assistant in 2010.

In 2012, Manning helped the Bearcats lead the Big East with 201.5 rushing yards per game.

George Winn had the second-best rushing season in school history with 1,334 yards and 13 touchdowns, leading the conference in both categories.

Manning began his coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant at Cincinnati in 2010.

PLAYING CAREER
Manning was an outside linebacker at Michigan from 2000 to 2004. After redshirting in 2000, Manning played in 37 games with 10 starts over his final four seasons, totaling 73 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. Manning helped Michigan to 46 wins in his five seasons, as the Wolverines won three Big Ten titles and earned a final ranking of 20th or better every year of his career.

Following his Michigan career, Manning spent three seasons in the NFL, including playing in 15 games for the Green Bay Packers in 2005 and five games with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2007. Manning was also a four-sport standout in high school, earning him a spot in the Saginaw (Mich.) Sports Hall of Fame.

PERSONAL
Manning earned his degree in general studies from Michigan in 2004. He has one son, Malakai, and one daughter, Olivia.

COACHING CAREER
2025: San Diego State (Defensive Edges)
2022-23: USC (Assistant Head Coach for Defense/Outside Linebackers)
2019-21: Oklahoma (Cornerbacks)
2018: UCLA (Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers)
2015-17: Washington State (Outside Linebackers)
2014: Michigan (Cornerbacks)
2013: Michigan (Outside Linebackers)
2012: Cincinnati (Running Backs)
2011: Michigan (Offensive Graduate Assistant)
2010: Cincinnati (Defensive Graduate Assistant)