North Carolina State University Athletics
PEELER: Mano-A-Manning
10/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 14, 2010
BY TIM PEELER
RALEIGH, N.C. - Terrell Manning remembers the first impressive tackle he ever made.
It was in his backyard, in one of many epic pickup football games he hosted for the other kids in his hometown near Laurinburg, N.C.
Manning was just 14, younger than the 20 or so other kids participating in one of the many impromptu Super Bowls of Scotland County. The older kids were sure Manning would run the other way in this all-out tackle-without-pads contest.
"He caught the ball in the open field and took off running," Manning said. "Everybody expected me to move out of the way. I lowered my shoulder and took him out. I kind of laid him out. We had to stop the game.
"From that point on, everybody said `Terrell can hit.'"
He never told anyone that when he went home that night that he couldn't raise his arms above his shoulders.
"I think it might have been dislocated or something," Manning said. "I didn't tell anybody because I wanted to show them I was a tough guy."
As pickup games go, these were chock full of talent. Besides Manning, the regulars included Hilee Taylor, now of the Carolina Panthers; Travian Robertson and Byron McKnight, who both played big roles in South Carolina's win over top-ranked Alabama; and Manning's best friend, Damonte Terry, who will be on the other side of the line of scrimmage Saturday afternoon as a redshirt freshman running back for East Carolina.
"Man, as far as football goes, we had some talented guys in the backyard," Manning said. "There was a lot of trash talk, but it was a lot of fun."
Especially for Manning and Terry, who were inseparable for most of their high school years. They have exchanged a few messages this week and will talk before and after Saturday's game. Their moms will probably ride together from Laurinburg to ECU's Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to watch the game.
But between kickoff and the final tick of the clock, they will go at each other just as hard as they did in Manning's back yard.
"He'll be my boy before the game and after the game," said Terry, a reserve red-shirt freshman running back for the Pirates. "It's just during the game that we'll be on different sides of the ball going against each other. We understand what we each have to do.
"We used to go at each other all the time. But we always understood we were making each other better. That's why he is where he is right now and that's why I am where I am right now."
Manning once thought about following Taylor to play at North Carolina. But he changed his mind soon after visiting NC State to see another Laurinburg native, J.J. Jones, play for the Wolfpack.
"Once I started coming up here, the atmosphere was unlike any other college in North Carolina," Manning said. "I kept visiting. It was a nice easy ride up here for me. I have a big family so it was important for me to be able to get down there quickly.
"I knew this is where I wanted to play."
Manning has displayed his backyard tackling skills all season long for the Wolfpack (5-1 overall, 2-1 ACC). He ranks third on the team with 32 total tackles, behind fellow linebackers Nate Irving (46) and Audie Cole (35).
He is certainly living up to the potential he first showed in those backyard brawls and refined while playing for Mark Barnes at Scotland County High School.
Manning was rated as one of the top two players in the state his senior year, but suffered a significant knee injury during a state high school playoff game and had to sit out his first season at NC State while recovering.
He shared time last year with Dwayne Maddox at weakside linebacker, while Irving recovered from the life-threatening injuries he suffered in a preseason car accident. When Irving returned in the spring, along with new linebackers coach Jon Tenuta, he moved to middle linebacker, leaving the weakside position open for Manning, with Maddox as his backup.
"I think I've done my job, but at the same time I know I can play better," Manning said. "It's still a slow process, but I'm healthy enough to play and I can continue to progress. I'll be expecting a lot more plays to come my way and I'm looking forward to that."
Getting experience on the field last season has played a role in Manning's success this year, even though the Wolfpack defense was sometimes steamrolled without Irving in the lineup. Midway through this season, the Pack defense is giving up nine fewer points per game than last year.
"Our experience of playing last year has helped us be better this year," Manning said. "Everybody knows everybody else's job. That helps you play faster. Once everybody is moving together and on the same page, there isn't too much that can stop us."
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
