Mark Manning reacts to 300th career win with Nebraska wrestling

Nebraska wrestling coach Mark Manning earned his 300th career win as the Huskers’ head coach Saturday night.

With No. 6 Nebraska’s 21-13 win over No. 4 Minnesota, Manning and crew bounced back after a loss to Northern Iowa last week and did it emphatically. In a back and forth dual, Nebraska used wins early and late to end the dual on top.

CLICK HERE to watch Unstoppable on Prime Video — The true story of the indomitable spirit of Anthony Robles

Manning, one of the most accomplished head coaches in the sport, usually doesn’t like talking about himself. He credited all of his wrestlers throughout his time, as well as his staff, to attribute 300 wins.

“It means I had a lot of good guys,” Manning said. “I got to know Barry Switzer back in the 90s. And Barry Switzer said to me, ‘Hey, Mark, you know, this guy told me you’re really good coach. You know, I beat this guy from Nebraska six times in a row. Guy’s name is Tom Osborne. You know what I had better than him? Better players. The last three times we played, Nebraska kicked our butt. You know what he had? He had better players.’ 

“So I’m very blessed and grateful to have really good kids, really good guys and through the years. I mean, the ton of alumni here today, and that’s, you know, that’s what it’s all about. It’s about trying to leave a mark on these guys to help them, you know, have great moments that they can relish for the rest of their life.”

Manning saw his guys win the first three bouts, taking a 9-0 lead. But Minnesota’s studs Max McEnelly, Isiaah Salazar and of course, Gable Steveson, gave Minnesota a 13-9 lead.

Nebraska ripped off four wins in a row, including back to back upsets at 125 and 133 to spearhead a win. 

“And these, you know, duals like this are things that you put in your memory bank,” Manning said. “And obviously, next Friday night is a big dual meet, you know, hey, not any really bigger than this. It counts the same, but it’s how you perform, and knowing that, hey, I could do it in big moments, and that’s what I’ve been blessed to have really good good guys here and good coaches … So, all those people are very important.”

Nebraska 21, Minnesota 13

157: No. 5 Antrell Taylor (NEB) dec. No. 10 Tommy Askey (MINN) SV-1, 4-1 (NEB 3, MINN 0)
165: Christopher Minto (NEB) dec. No. 9 Andrew Sparks (MINN) 5-4 (NEB 6, MINN 0)
174: No. 16 Lenny Pinto (NEB) dec. No. 24 Cam Whiting (MINN) 9-3 (NEB 9, MINN 0)
184: No. 4 Max McEnelly (MINN) major dec. No. 6 Silas Allred (NEB) 16-6 (NEB 9, MINN 4)
197: No. 9 Isaiah Salazar (MINN) major dec. No. 22 Camden McDanel (NEB) 8-0 (NEB 9, MINN 8)
HWT: No. 1 Gable Steveson (MINN) tech. fall No. 24 Harley Andrews (NEB) 19-4 (3:32) (NEB 9, MINN 13)
125: No. 7 Caleb Smith (NEB) dec. No. 5 Cooper Flynn (MINN) 2-0 (NEB 12, MINN 13)
133: No. 19 Jacob Van Dee  (NEB)dec. No. 11 Tyler Wells (MINN) 4-1 (NEB 15, MINN 13)
141: No. 6 Brock Hardy (NEB) dec. No. 8 Vance VomBaur (MINN) 12-10 (NEB 18, MINN 13)
149: No. 5 Ridge Lovett (NEB) dec. No. 21 Drew Roberts (MINN) 5-0 (NEB 21, MINN 13)