Junior Cornerback looking to improve on breakout 2024 campaign

If you ask Coach Drew Carter, very few players on the Coahulla Creek football team progressed more from one year to the next than Brandon Manis did in 2024.

Manis quickly established himself as one of the team’s best open-field tacklers, excelling in run-support from his cornerback position, helping shutdown the screen game, and making a large impact on punt and kick team coverage.

Standing at only 5’7, Manis knows he’s not the most imposing figure on the field, so he knows he has to be fearless when making tackles. “Since I’m a smaller player, I can’t played scared. I have to make tackles… stopping screens, reverses, etc. If I miss one of those, it’s usually a big play for the other team, so I take a lot of pride in that.”

That fearless streak heled propelled him to earn the team’s ‘Most Improved’ award at the end of the 2024 season. Brandon is looking to build on that in 2025. “I want to become 1st Team All-Region this year… become more of a ball hawk on defense, and getting the ball more on offense. I want to make more of an impact in all phases of the game.”

Some of the ways Brandon will look to accomplish those goals this year is through his work in the weight room and extra reps on the practice field. “I’ve gotten bigger, stronger, and faster this offseason. As soon as the season was over last year, I was at the field trying to better myself and competing with my teammates.”

Echoing a similar message as many of his Colts’ teammates, Manis really wants to see his team come together, and play as a cohesive unit in 2025. “After the tough season, I just want us to have more fun with the game and play together. We are very motivated to get things right… I saw how fun it was to win games my freshman season, and I want that again for my teammates.”

Some of Brandon Manis’s top plays from the 2024 season.