Dontae Manning Looking for His Next Level

One of Oregon's most promising defensive backs is feeling more comfortable in spring.

Dontae Manning is the highest-rated cornerback to ever sign with the Oregon Ducks, putting pen to paper as a five-star (0.9841 per 247Sports Composite) recruit back in 2020.

Since he's been at Oregon he hasn't lived up to the expectations, due in part to a couple of injuries that kept him off the field.

He's fully healthy this spring and more importantly one of the Ducks most experienced cornerbacks. Ahead of his fourth college season he's got a clear mindset that's driving him every day.

"I felt like I left a lot of plays out there that I could've made for my teammates and for this defense," Manning said of the 2022 season. "I feel like now I'm developing into that mentality that it's put up or shut up."

When evaluating his play last year he was quick to point the finger at himself as part of why the defense struggled defending the pass, specifically on third down.

"Something that just kind of sits in the back of my mind, a lot of the games we played on third down, when we came out in our dime package, I would give up the third down, " he said. "Just going back and watching those plays and knowing what not to give up, where's my leverage, what do I play, what's my technique and dialing back into it. It's like a motivation in practice. Just working towards that."

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The Kansas City native has a check list of where he's looking to improve in 2023.

"This season, working on my ball skills. Using my length more. More physicality just for myself. Just being able to use my tools and create a bigger tool bag."

Manning is one of a handful of players that's expecting to take his game to the next level this season after a full year in Dan Lanning's defense.

"Let's say year one was like a trial run, this is a definite," he said. "We know the system, we know the coaches. We know what we're supposed to do, technique. It's just adding pieces to it now. Adding pieces to go to that next level. I feel like we've come together, our connection is crazier this year--back of the hand type of crazy."

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The Ducks didn't generate many turnovers a year ago and Manning is looking to be active when the ball's thrown his way.

"The best corners get picks. So I gotta get my hand on the football," he said. I just gotta have a lot of production. I don't want to ever go through a game and feel like I was there just to be there. I gotta put some production down."

Manning is confident in the direction his game is going and so is cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin.

"Trending upwards," he said of Manning. "He's correcting mistakes before I have to correct them. He's identifying his mistakes, where last year it had to be pointed out to him. 

"Now this year he knows 'eyes right, hands right', those types of things are where his game's growing at."

Martin isn't expecting anyone in his group to be the next Christian Gonzalez, but there's plenty of talent in the room to improve from where the group was in 2022.

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