Manu Doesn't Hold Back in First UW Practice

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 6:21 PM ET

On Wednesday morning, a military fighter jet flew overhead and had barely cleared Husky Stadium when the pilot couldn't hold back any longer.

He punched it and took off with such a cascading roar it made every University of Washington player who was getting ready for the first fall camp practice stop and look up.

Jacob Manu goes about his business in a similar manner, as well.

Compulsive. Relentless. Always running the after burners.

While he was in uniform for his first Husky practice but not cleared from a knee injury suffered last season at Arizona, Manu ran as hard as he could in every drill. He leaped onto large cushion as if he were jumping out of an airplane.

Using a multi-syllable expletive, he even told a coach to throw the ball harder in an interception drill.

Hearing this, Husky coach Jedd Fisch sort of rolled his eyes and felt compelled to share a story about Manu in his first pads practice as a freshman at Arizona.

"He was a scout-team linebacker and after five plays I kicked him off the field," the coach said. "I said, "You need to go play with [the starters}. You're messing up my drill.' There is an intensity about the way Jacob plays that I love him on Saturday, but he's a pain during the week."

While the 5-foot-11, 215-pound senior linebacker from Santa Ana, California, is still just nine and a half months out of surgery, Fisch said Manu stands a good chance to be ready to go full bore -- or at least with permission -- before the season starts.

Manu took part in several drills over the first hour of Wednesday's practice and then headed to the East practice field with fellow linebacker Zaydriius Rainey-Sale and defensive linemen and twins Jayvon and Armon Parker for drills more tailored to rehabbing players and conducted by a team staffer.

When practice was over, Husky players pealed off their football gear and climbed into ice baths set up in Husky Stadium. Manu simply at on top of his helmet to unwind.

Fisch lumped Manu and Rainey-Sale, the highly regarded freshman, as progressing in a similar fashion from their surgically repaired knees.

"Both guys should be pretty close to being able to play right off the bat," he said, "as long as we have no setbacks."

One gets the vast impression Manu isn't going to be sitting and watching when the Huskies open the season against Colorado State on August 30 at Husky Stadium.

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This article first appeared on Washington Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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