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Massimo Manca
Massimo Manca (born March 18, 1964) is an Italian-born former professional football kicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cincinnati Bengals. He also was a member of the Barcelona Dragons in the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played college football at Penn State University.
Manca was born in the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. His family moved to the United States when he was a ten year old in 1974, after his father who was a professor of English at the University of Sardinia, took a job at the University of Nevada, Reno to teach Italian as part of an exchange program.
He returned to Italy after two years, where he attended the eighth and ninth grades. He returned to the United States and enrolled at Reno High School as a sophomore. He began playing American football as a junior. He made field goals of 52, 47, and 46 yards as a senior.
Manca accepted a football scholarship from Penn State University, to play under head coach Joe Paterno, who also had an Italian heritage. As a true freshman in 1982, he replaced the injured starter Nick Gancitano in the season opener against the Temple University, making a 37-yard field goal attempt and all 4 of his extra point tries. In the second game against the University of Maryland, he made all four of his field goals in a 39-31 victory. In the fourth game against No. 2 Nebraska, he had a nightmare of a performance, missing three field goals and one extra point. Gancitano, regained his starting job, contributing to the 1982 National Championship season and eventually setting a career school record with 77.6 percent field-goal accuracy (38-of-49 field goals). Manca finished the season with 11 game appearances, 5-of-9 field goals made (55.6%) and 19-of-20 extra points made (95.0%).
In 1983, he was redshirted. As a sophomore in 1984, he was only used to handle the kickoffs. He made 2-of-2 extra points (100%) and missed his only field goal attempt.
As a junior in 1985, he was named the starter at kicker. He registered 21-of-26 field goals (80.8%) and 28-of-28 extra points (100%). Although the team's overall record was 11-1, seven of those contests were decided by seven points or less and Manca’s points were critical. He was 2-for-2 in a 20-18 victory against the University of Maryland, 2-for-3 in a 27-25 win over Temple University and 4-for-5 in a 19-17 win against the University of Alabama. He tied a school single-game record with 5 field goals in the tenth contest against the University of Notre Dame.
As a senior in 1986, he contributed to the 1986 National Championship, although his production was down, compiling 14-of-23 field goal attempts (60.9%) and 37-of-37 extra point attempts (100%). His 206 career points, ranked second all-time in school history and also set the school record of career points for a kicker.
Manca was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals after the 1987 NFL draft on May 4. He was waived on August 31.
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Massimo Manca
Massimo Manca (born March 18, 1964) is an Italian-born former professional football kicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cincinnati Bengals. He also was a member of the Barcelona Dragons in the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played college football at Penn State University.
Manca was born in the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. His family moved to the United States when he was a ten year old in 1974, after his father who was a professor of English at the University of Sardinia, took a job at the University of Nevada, Reno to teach Italian as part of an exchange program.
He returned to Italy after two years, where he attended the eighth and ninth grades. He returned to the United States and enrolled at Reno High School as a sophomore. He began playing American football as a junior. He made field goals of 52, 47, and 46 yards as a senior.
Manca accepted a football scholarship from Penn State University, to play under head coach Joe Paterno, who also had an Italian heritage. As a true freshman in 1982, he replaced the injured starter Nick Gancitano in the season opener against the Temple University, making a 37-yard field goal attempt and all 4 of his extra point tries. In the second game against the University of Maryland, he made all four of his field goals in a 39-31 victory. In the fourth game against No. 2 Nebraska, he had a nightmare of a performance, missing three field goals and one extra point. Gancitano, regained his starting job, contributing to the 1982 National Championship season and eventually setting a career school record with 77.6 percent field-goal accuracy (38-of-49 field goals). Manca finished the season with 11 game appearances, 5-of-9 field goals made (55.6%) and 19-of-20 extra points made (95.0%).
In 1983, he was redshirted. As a sophomore in 1984, he was only used to handle the kickoffs. He made 2-of-2 extra points (100%) and missed his only field goal attempt.
As a junior in 1985, he was named the starter at kicker. He registered 21-of-26 field goals (80.8%) and 28-of-28 extra points (100%). Although the team's overall record was 11-1, seven of those contests were decided by seven points or less and Manca’s points were critical. He was 2-for-2 in a 20-18 victory against the University of Maryland, 2-for-3 in a 27-25 win over Temple University and 4-for-5 in a 19-17 win against the University of Alabama. He tied a school single-game record with 5 field goals in the tenth contest against the University of Notre Dame.
As a senior in 1986, he contributed to the 1986 National Championship, although his production was down, compiling 14-of-23 field goal attempts (60.9%) and 37-of-37 extra point attempts (100%). His 206 career points, ranked second all-time in school history and also set the school record of career points for a kicker.
Manca was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals after the 1987 NFL draft on May 4. He was waived on August 31.