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Roy Manning Brings a ‘Stop the Run, Then Party’ Mentality to Nebraska

Nebraska struggled to stop the run in 2025. Roy Manning calls that priority No. 1 for the defense.
Trevor Tarr|
Roy Manning was officially announced as Nebraska's defensive edges coach on Dec. 19.
Roy Manning was officially announced as Nebraska's defensive edges coach on Dec. 19. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska's defense is going to see some serious changes in 2026, but the scheme isn't the biggest one of all.

The Huskers' defensive line, under new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, and defensive edge coach Roy Manning are going to "party".

Officially welcomed to the Husker coaching staff on Dec. 19, Manning is on site in Lincoln watching his new squad prepare for their Las Vegas Bowl matchup with the No. 15 Utah Utes on New Year's Eve.

Though not actively coaching, Manning is using his time to get to know the players in the room. Without specific details on players who will be deemed as "edges" next fall, a current list of candidates likely includes Dylan Rogers, Willis McGahee IV, Williams Nwaneri, Keona Davis, and Jordan Ochoa.

This list of players features a youthful group, with every player named being listed as an underclassman in 2025. All five have shown flashes throughout their careers, and the Huskers' move to a 4-2-5 defense, in addition to Manning's extensive coaching background at the position, could help unlock some much-needed difference makers at the jack position in 2026.

This year, under Manning and Aurich, San Diego State's defense totaled 32 sacks in 12 games. For context, Nebraska managed just 19 in the same span. But from the NFL veteran turned collegiate coach's eyes, it's not due to lack of recruiting success.

“There’s no lack of talent here," said Manning. "It’s just a matter of developing guys and putting them in a position so they can maximize on what they’re good at."

With 13 of Nebraska's 18 players listed as linebackers able to return for the 2026 season, excluding Roger Gradney, who announced his intent to enter the transfer portal on the night of Dec. 21, Manning will have the ability to mold a young core of players in the way he best sees fit.

While that comes with challenges of his own, the athletic profile of the players in the room does not seem to be something he's worried about. To no surprise, the Huskers are able to recruit at a higher level than Manning's most recent stop, and he will look to use that to his advantage over the coming months.

The coach also made it apparent that the move to a four-man front will help the Huskers stop the run, something he knows well from his time playing and coaching for the Michigan Wolverines.

“Our first priority was stopping the run," said Manning. "The more opportunities you get to put a team in third and long, the more true drop-back situations you’re going to be in for your guys to get after the quarterback.”

With clear intentions on doing just that, Manning also dropped a late addition for the quote of the year. “We made it our aim to kill the run on first and second down, and then it’s time to party," the coach said.

Leaving San Diego State and following Aurich to Lincoln obviously means Manning is trusted by Nebraska's new leader of the defense. A major talking point in the first public availability of his Husker tenure, Manning detailed how the pairing was able to find the success they did this fall.

“We want to stop the run and force people to be in situations where they have to pass the ball," Manning said. "And play into our hands.”

In addition to stopping the run, being ranked as the 16th-best team in the country in yards per carry allowed (3.2), the Aztec defense was also very good at defending against the pass. In fact, both units ranked amongst the top 25 in the country this fall on their way to becoming the best red zone defense in college football.

Though Manning was only responsible for his position group in 2025, the continuity in language and teaching that the duo will now bring to Nebraska will look to spur that same level of success for the Huskers in 2026.

Nebraska isn't wasting any time working to fix the issues that plagued its defense this past season. And though neither of Nebraska's newest defensive coaching additions will be coaching in the Las Vegas Bowl, there's little doubt about the influence they've already made.

Manning is proven, experienced, and ready to make an impact. If his 15 years of coaching experience don't catch your eye, his three Big Ten titles won as a player and three seasons in the NFL will. A coach who's played at the highest level and found success as a player in the conference he now coaches in may be exactly what Aurich and head coach Matt Rhule need. And with the success he's had across multiple stops throughout his coaching career, it's not hard to foresee Manning doing the same in Lincoln.

For now, Manning takes his time to get to know the players before he coaches for the first time in the spring. But make no mistake, he's helping push his new room to grow immediately. And if his track record as a coach is any indication, the Huskers have found one of the best young edge coaches in the country to bring on their staff.

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Trevor Tarr
TREVOR TARR

Trevor Tarr is the founder of Skers Scoop, a Nebraska football media outlet delivering original coverage through writing, graphics, and video content. He began his career in collegiate athletics at the University of South Dakota, producing media for the football team and assisting with athletic fundraising. A USD graduate with a background in journalism and sports marketing, Trevor focuses on creative, fan-driven storytelling in college football.

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