Danny McManus - The Quarterback when the Dynasty Years Began

By Jim Joanos

Danny McManus, who was Florida State's quarterback when the "Dynasty Years" began, recently retired after seventeen star-studded years as a quarterback in the Canadian Football League. During his career in Canada, he played for Winnipeg, British Columbia, Edmonton, Hamilton and Calgary. He spent the major portion of his career with the Hamilton Tiger Cats. During his professional career, he threw for 53,255 yards in the CFL which is over thirty miles. He completed 3,640 passes out of 6,689 attempts. In all, he played in 298 regular season games plus 18 playoff games and six league championship games (Grey Cups). Of the six championship games, his team won three of them. From 1995 through 2002, he set a CFL record of eight consecutive seasons with over 4,000 passing yards per season. In 1999 he was named the league's Most Outstanding Player and the Grey Cup (championship game) Most Valuable Player. His career statistics place him among the top three quarterbacks ever to play in the CFL.

While McManus is leaving the field of play, he is not leaving football. He begins this coming season as a game analyst for The Sports Network. It will be his job to sit in press boxes during CFL games and describe the inner workings of the games being played. He was quoted in the Calgary Herald as being upbeat about his new position. He reportedly said, "I've been playing football for more than 25 years. I've loved every minute of my time in the CFL. Football is in my blood and I look forward to the next phase of my career as an analyst on TSN." McManus' new career appears to be a good fit. While at FSU, he was a sports management major and spent a summer interning in the FSU Sports Information Office.

McManus lettered at FSU from 1985 through 1987. He led the team at quarterback his last two seasons, 1986 and 87, which included bowl victories over Indiana in the All American Bowl and Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl. It was the 1987 season that began FSU's record setting fourteen consecutive years finishing in the top five in college football's highest division.

In 1987, the Seminoles lost only one game and completed the season with their eleventh victory, that 31-28 win over the University of Nebraska. When the dust had settled, FSU was ranked second in the final Associated Press poll of the season. At the time that was the highest finish that the team had ever achieved and would remain so until the 1993 Seminoles won the school's first national championship.

The victory in the Fiesta Bowl did not come easy for the 1987 Seminoles. Nebraska led early 14-0 and late 28-24. Nebraska was ready to put the game away when they had second down on the FSU two yard line. However, a fumble gave the ball back to FSU. Led by the passing arm of McManus, the Seminoles rebounded with a 97 yard drive that featured a 43 yard pass to Dexter Carter. The final touchdown play was the most dramatic of all. It was fourth and fifteen to the goal line, when McManus found wide receiver Ronnie Lewis open in the end zone and got the ball to him for the winning touchdown. For his efforts, McManus was named the Fiesta Bowl's offensive Most Valuable Player. During that game, he set a Fiesta Bowl record for most yards passing in a game at 375.

McManus came to FSU from Dania, Florida, and played high school football at South Broward High School where he attained honors as All Broward County. In 1995, he was inducted into the FSU Athletic Hall of Fame. He continues to reside in Florida in the off season from his duties with the Canadian Football League.

In summary, Danny McManus is a Seminole that we can be proud of. Not only for his accomplishments on the field of play but for the good will that he has engendered through the years. He is well regarded by those that know him and has been a good example of the best in football, both college and professional. We wish him good luck in his new adventure.