Hawaii offensive lineman Ilm Manning draws preseason accolades

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CRAIG T. KOJIMA / SEPT. 4

Ilm Manning

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A good week became even better for University of Hawaii offensive lineman Ilm Manning.

Two days after being named to the watch list for the Outland Trophy as college football’s top interior lineman, Manning was named to the Mountain West’s Preseason All-Conference team.

Manning is the only Rainbow Warrior on the 28-player, all-star list.

Boise State defensive back Kekaula Kaniho, a 2017 Kahuku High graduate, also was selected.

Manning “is an extremely gifted athlete,” UH coach Todd Graham said in a video statement. “I’m very, very impressed with him. He has an opportunity, if he continues to work hard, he’s going to be a special player for us, and have a chance to probably make a good living playing football. He’s very, very blessed physically, hard worker, highly intelligent. He’s the total package.That’s a very good selection there.”

Manning, a left tackle, has started all 29 games of his two-season UH career. He did not redshirt.

Last season, Manning was the blind-side blocker for quarterbacks Cole McDonald and Chevan Cordeiro. UH quarterbacks threw a combined 42 touchdowns. Only two sacks were attributed to Manning in 662 pass plays in 2019. He also led the Warriors in knockdowns. McDonald was the Tennessee Titans’ seventh-round selection in this year’s NFL Draft. Cordeiro is listed as the Warriors’ starting quarterback. Cordeiro is 4-0 as a starter during his two-year career.

Manning also was instrumental in the Warriors’ run game. The Warriors averaged 5.54 yards on non-sack rushes. The four main running backs — Miles Reed, Fred Holly III, Hekili Keli‘iliki and Dayton Furuta — averaged 4.7 yards on first-down carries. Holly left the program, and Furuta has graduated.

Manning, a 2018 graduate of Apollo High in Glendale, Ariz., was named to the 2019 All-Mountain West second team.

Manning is one of nine returning offensive lineman who started for the Warriors in 2019. Graham praised the offensive line for its collective talent, experience and physical play.

“If you ask me, like, what position is the strength of the team, I would tell you, offensive line,” Graham said.