Former UND
linebacker Mike Mannausau is in his ninth season on his alma mater's
coaching staff and seventh as defensive coordinator. Prior to the 2008
season, he was elevated to assistant head coach. Mannausau also works
directly with the defensive line, a position he coached at UND during
his first two seasons on the staff.
The 2011 defense played a
huge role in leading UND to a share of the Great West Conference title,
an 8-3 record and a season-ending national ranking. The unit ranked at
the top of the league charts in total defense, rush defense and scoring
defense.
The defense pitched a shutout in the season-opening win
over Drake and held opponents to single digits on two more occasions
during the season. Mannausau's defensive front also accounted for 17
sacks and 31.5 tackles for a loss.
Junior Ross Brenneman
collected All-GWC second team honors after compiling 8.5 sacks and 10
tackles for a loss. He also added 32 tackles.
In 2010, the
Fighting Sioux defense had six different players earn All-Great West
distinction with four landing on the coaches' all-conference team and
six more being named to the media's all-conference team. The unit ranked
second in the GWC in scoring defense and tied for the league lead with
11 interceptions. One of those six standouts, Ty Boyle, signed as an
undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers following his final
season at UND.
UND held visiting Lamar to a season-low in points
during a 31-6 victory for the Sioux. One of Mannausau's defensive ends,
sophomore Ross Brenneman, led the club with four sacks and eight tackles
for a loss. The Omaha native also earned All-Great West second team
honors along with linemate Ty Boyle.
Since UND began its
transition to Division I three seasons ago, 14 Fighting Sioux defenders
have been named to the Great West All-Conference team and 19 have been
named academic all-conference.
In 2007, Mannausau's defensive
unit led the North Central Conference in total defense and passing
efficiency and placed five players on the All-NCC first or second team
defense.
In 2006, Mannausau helped mastermind the NCC's
top-ranked defense in terms of scoring average, holding opponents to
18.8 points per game. He also tutored All-NCC first team inside
linebacker Dan Ullsperger.
In 2005, under Mannausau, UND's
defensive linemen accounted for 21.5 sacks among the team's league-high
42, and Ross Brennan and Jason Peterson each earned All-NCC first team
honors.
A pair of Mannausau's players earned All-North Central
Conference honors in 2004 as Peterson and junior defensive tackle Shane
Duchscher both collected those accolades. UND led the NCC with 37
quarterback sacks that season.
Mannausau previously served as the
head football coach at Grand Forks Red River High School in 2003. Prior
to that, Mannausau was a graduate assistant with the Fighting Sioux in
2001 and 2002, working primarily with the defensive line. He earned his
master's degree in kinesiology from UND in July 2003.
From 1999 to 2001, Mannasuau was the defensive coordinator at Falls High School in his hometown of International Falls, Minn.
A
standout linebacker for the Fighting Sioux from 1994 to 1998, Mannausau
lettered four times and was a 1998 Football Gazette All-America
honorable mention honoree, while serving as a team captain.
Mannausau
received a bachelor's degree from UND in May 1999, majoring in
education/physical education and minoring in special education and
coaching. In June of 2003, he received a master's degree in kinesiology
from UND.
Mannausau is married to former Fighting Sioux women's
basketball standout and UND Athletics Hall of Fame member Tiffany
Pudenz. They have two children, daughter Mya and son Max.
