UConn has announced that Ryan Manalac is joining Jason Candle’s staff as defensive coordinator. Manalac was previously the linebackers coach at Pitt, a role he held since 2021, and played in the NFL after a distinguished career at Cincinnati.
Manalac spent five seasons under Pat Narduzzi with the Panthers. He’s credited with the success of Kyle Louis, who was named an All-American as a sophomore in 2024, All-ACC in 2025, and has declared early for the 2026 NFL Draft. Panther LB Rasheem Biles has also been a standout, earning two straight All-ACC nods. Manalac also worked with 2023 NFL Draft pick SirVocea Dennis.
Before Pitt, he was the defensive coordinator at Bucknell for two years, including the Bisons’ cancelled 2020 season. In 2019, they had one of the best defenses in the Patriot League, ranking second in yards allowed per game.
Before Bucknell, Manalac was the defensive coordinator at Ohio Dominican University, a D2 school where he saw 10 defensive players earn all-conference honors during his two-year tenure. He started his coaching career at D2 Valparaiso after working as a graduate assistant at Michigan State.
A former walk-on at Cincinnati, Manalac quickly earned a scholarship and saw the field all four years as he started his last two seasons. Mark D’Antonio was the Bearcats coach when Manalac entered college in 2005, and his career ended under Brian Kelly in 2008.
The Bearcats played UConn all four years of his college career as Big East Rivals, with Cinci enjoying a 3-1 record in that time, though the Huskies won his senior year in 2008.
Manalac ended up signing with the Buffalo Bills in 2009 as an undrafted free agent, lasting one season before he was cut during the 2010 preseason. He went to Michigan State to begin his graduate assistant work under D’Antonio after that.
In Storrs, Manalac will bring heavy regional ties and plenty of experience as a DC, having held the job at Bucknell and Ohio Dominican. He’s also probably quite familiar with Candle, given their ties in the state of Ohio and the fact that Pitt played Toledo in the 2024 Game Above Sports Bowl, losing to Candle’s Rockets, 48-46.
