Christian Mannino, is a 6’2” 275-pound senior at Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Mannino a defensive tackle, who can also play defensive end, with his high football IQ and his extreme motor Mannino is a true force to be reckoned with on the field. Christian’s ability to get to the quarterback and disrupt plays is clear in his film, along with his growth from year to year. This year the senior has bulked up not only in weight but has gained strength along with speed from his workouts. Mannino has the ability in a single play to turn the tide of a game.
When did you begin playing football? What made you want to play?
I started playing when I was 5 years old, the main reason I started to play was that my dad asked me if I wanted to play quite simply. After that, I just kept after it going from there to elementary school followed by middle school now into high school.
What hobbies do you have outside of sports?
I really just like hanging out with my family and friends. With sports going on kind of close to all year round. We don’t really get a whole lot of time to just hanging out besides like on that Saturday that we get off. We like to kind of just hanging out watch movies and stuff like that.
How does football identify with your life?
I would say that it is close to everything to me, I’ve played it almost my entire life and it has helped me meet new people especially going into high school and switching schools. Football has also helped me learn about the wins in losses outside of football and how to handle them. It’s definitely helped build character with everything, but mainly the kind of the bond that you build with everybody that you’re playing with. I still keep in contact with people I played with in middle school.
How did switching high schools affect you?
It was just different, coming into coming from a public to a private school and then not really knowing anyone. I think I knew two people going into freshman year, and then getting used to all the new coaches and just different things that the school had. I’d say halfway through my freshman year it started to go a lot easier for me, just being able to meet more people and having everybody be more social towards me since I played sports. It wasn’t as bad after football just having everybody there. But before I could definitely say it was kind of hard.
What was your signature moment you had on the field last year?
The year before losing in the state championship the way we did, and then last year to have most of the guys back that played in that game to play again. The way we did on defense attacking along with our offense coming out and scoring. I think it was one of the best games we played and it is a part of it that was all I could ask for.
What would you bring to a college program?
How much I know about the game and then being able to look at a playbook and then execute it well. Along with my work ethic getting up being willing to get up every day and go to the gym and then putting in the extra effort. Along with effort, I am one who will help others and work alongside them to help learn new techniques or help them reviewed the footage to try and make everyone on my team better.
As a player, what are areas you could improve on?
Being able to do both execute pass rush moves and run-stopping in a game is definitely something I can work on right now. Right now, I think I’m better at run-stopping right now. I’d like to be able to play DN and coming off the corner and then execute good pass rush moves to get to the quarterback. I could definitely work on which was mainly that was my main focus is going into the year before the for summer started was practicing coming off the edge and interior pass rush moves so that I could get better at that but also working on my hands and feet so they can get better.
Is there anyone you try to model your playing style after?
I really like to watch Aaron Donald. I try to model my game after his and execute like him, I think I think my game really shows that just going until the whistle stops from you know, just from whistle to whistle giving it all I have each play.
What motivates you to keep playing football? How do you motivate yourself on?
gameday?
When I think of Catholic High, I think of brotherhood, we are the type of team that we all see each other, and we know what we want to do at the end of the year and our goals. Everybody helps to keep each other motivated and especially us seniors us being this being the last time I think we all have like a special kind of thing to go out there every day.
How do you want to be remembered?
I definitely want to be remembered that someone went to practice every day and played their hardest no matter what. Someone who could switch the momentum of the game within a single play. Someone who made the routine plays but also the spectacular plays. Someone who plays for more than just himself but also his teammates and who was able to help not only did the line but also the entire defense.
