Wrestling background ‘definitely helped’ this Gamecock prepare for starting role
It’s not often a true freshman can come in and start for an SEC offensive line. But South Carolina football had two such cases last year — Dylan Wonnum came into the lineup midway through the year, and Hank Manos stepped in at center for the Belk Bowl.
Now in 2019, Wonnum’s spot at starting right tackle is secure. At center, meanwhile, Manos is penciled in at No. 1 on the depth chart, competing with redshirt junior Chandler Farrell.
An injury curtailed Manos’ spring, but the redshirt freshman from Chapin has flashed high upside, and after a year in the program he’s physically prepared for the trenches.
“Getting your body acclimated to all of this practice, getting your strength numbers up and stuff like that, gaining body weight, putting on muscle — we test body measurements every couple month — and it’s all a part of getting to the point where you’re ready to play,” Manos said of the change from first to second year.
When Manos committed to the Gamecocks, he was at roughly 260 pounds. Now, he’s at 290. A contributing factor for that change was Manos’ career as a high school wrestler, where the heavyweight division is capped at 285 pounds.
“Obviously he was a wrestler, and being a wrestler you can only be a certain weight,” Farrell said. “Even being a heavyweight, they cut you off at 285, so he had to gain some weight coming in, and it’s very clear that he’s put the time in to gain weight the proper way and got stronger, and it’s real good to see him growing like that.”
At the same time, Manos believes his time as a wrestler helped form him into the lineman he is today.
“I definitely think it helps. It’s a one-on-one sport, very competitive, and I definitely attribute some of my success in football to wrestling,” Manos said. “The concept of leverage — and I guess the best way to explain it is, whenever you’re one-on-one with someone on the mat, it’s kind of like being one-on-one with a defensive lineman.”
Farrell sees the parallels, too, and he said he’s never been foolish enough to challenge Manos to a wrestling match.
“A big part of playing offensive line is balance, being able to keep your balance, you’re not thrown off balance by a defensive lineman trying to snag you. And wrestling has a lot to do with your center of gravity, so I think that really helps him on the offensive line as far as not getting thrown off blocks and his ability to finish blocks,” Farrell said.
Mentally, Manos will have to master one of the most important positions on the offense, but it’s a challenge he feels capable of taking on.
“I think it’s like any other role on the line. It’s got a little bit more of a leadership role, but just involves learning the position and learning the roles of the offensive line and stuff like that,” Manos said.
But the job isn’t totally his yet. Farrell, who calls Manos one of his best friends on the team, weighs 295 pounds and has a few extra years of experience, and they’ll likely battle it out through training camp.
“For them two coming in, Chandler, he’s been here a while, and Hank, he’s going on his second year, he’s got a little experience too. It’s a good competition to have,” sixth-year senior Donell Stanley said. “Both of them move pretty well and both of them got a whole lot stronger, they can move people and anchor when it comes time to pass block, but we just need a good center that can first get the ball to Jake [Bentley] and then help block.”
