PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He's been Pat Narduzzi's player, his graduate assistant. He's seen masterful game plans and seen Narduzzi bust equipment with a purpose at halftime. Ryan Manalac returns with Narduzzi, as Pitt's new linebackers coach.
"I think we are very similar," Manalac said. "I certainly admire Coach Narduzzi's work ethic. Having played for him (at Cincinnati) watching the way he prepared and knew the scheme inside and out and the relationships he built took time."
"Working with him at Michigan State, just really loved the way he worked. He's a guy who's in the office, the preparation he did to game plan was impressive. That's something I will never forget."
Manalac has worked his way to this spot. Starting as a walk-on to two year starter at linebacker at Cincinnati. Became a grad assistant at Michigan State, linebackers coach at Valparaiso, defensive coordinator at Division 2 Ohio Dominican and defensive coordinator at Bucknell before coming to Pitt.
"You go to the different levels and you learn it," Manalac said of his journey. "Compare it to business, you leave a corporation and go to a small business where you have to do a few more things and wear a few more hats. I think that has helped my development. See the bigger picture from a different lens. Certainly it's helped me grow as a leader."
"As it applies here specifically, schematically being able to see some different answers with different personnel and being able to apply that coming back to this system will be an added thing I can help with the defensive staff and what we are doing from that perspective."
Manalac said speed and athleticism will be his calling card with the Panthers and he believes he already has it in the room. He inherits, among others, emerging linebacker SirVocea Dennis.
The Pickerington, Ohio native will recruit his home state where he believes there are a number of players to help the Panthers. He's also excited to work for a Power 5 program for the first time.
The 35-year-old has spent around a quarter of his life around the Pitt head coach. Is there a story he could share about Narduzzi?
"I can remember specifically I was a redshirt sophomore we were at Rutgers," Manalac said. "Who was a good team at the time. Going into halftime and we are a little bit behind. Coach Narduzzi does one of the best jobs at providing players information at halftime. What the opponent is doing and what we need to do to stop them."
"I think he ended that speech with a fist through a projector that really got us rallied going into the second half. That's the intensity paired with that intelligence that really had a lasting impact on me."
Cincinnati would come back to win that game 28-23, intercepting three passes and allowing only two field goals on defense in the second half.
Manalac wants to project a similar intensity in his new role.
