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Jacob Manu, a 5-foot-10, 225-pound linebacker for the University of Washington Huskies, is gearing up for a significant test this Saturday night at Nebraska's Memorial Stadium. A year ago, Manu faced a difficult decision: which four regular-season games to play in to preserve a fifth year of eligibility. That process was complicated by a knee injury, forcing him to suit up against powerhouse teams like Ohio State and Michigan while sitting out against others such as Illinois and Wisconsin.
In hindsight, Manu was a year ahead of his time. Had the new NCAA rule allowing five full years of eligibility over a five-year window been in place, he could have played entire seasons both this year and last. Now, he has appeared in all seven games for the Huskies, earned team captaincy, and likely receives a stipend for his contributions.
However, Manu's individual statistics have been modest by his standards. After recording 116 tackles in his last full season in 2023, he has just 40 tackles heading into the Nebraska game. Surprisingly, he doesn't even lead the team in that category; safety Alex McLaughlin has eight more tackles. This suggests Manu is due for a standout performance.
"I think I've done all right," Manu said this week. "There's still a lot more games left for me to improve. I'm trying to fix the mistakes that I've had." He started the season strong with 11 tackles, including a sack, against Washington State, and added 9 more against Eastern Washington—typical outputs for him. Yet in other games, he has recorded 2, 2, 6, 5, and 5 tackles, which are relatively mundane for a player who typically covers a lot of ground. Three years ago, Manu averaged 9 tackles per game; currently, he's at 5.7 per outing.
One reason for the decline is his involvement in a three-linebacker rotation at times, which has spread out stats, especially before Xe'ree Alexander suffered a high-ankle sprain. Nevertheless, Manu isn't overly concerned about the drop in numbers. "No, I feel like the main thing for me that matters is the win," he said. "That's the only goal that really matters to me." Still, Manu can't be too pleased with the Huskies' season so far (4-3 overall, 1-3 in the Big Ten), but he continues to play.
This weekend, he'll focus on a different set of numbers—specifically the 85,458 fans expected to pack Memorial Stadium to watch the Cornhuskers (5-2, 2-1) in action. Such a crowd can be overwhelming for some, but the UW linebacker is embracing the Saturday night atmosphere. "I know they have a great atmosphere over there—they sell out every game," Manu said. "It's going to be fun to play in. I definitely like that, especially when the game is sold out." And if he can add about 10 tackles to his tally, even better.
Key Analysis
Manu's season has been a mixed bag, with flashes of his old form but overall reduced production. The new NCAA eligibility rule might have changed his approach, but his focus remains on team wins. As he faces a formidable Nebraska crowd, Manu's performance could be a turning point for both him and the Huskies.