Ken Mannie enters his 20th year as Michigan State's head strength and conditioning coach for football, while additionally directing and overseeing the strength and conditioning programs for all men's and women's sports. A 40-year coaching veteran, Mannie is the longest-tenured head football strength and conditioning coach in the Big Ten Conference.
Mannie's "Fourth Quarter" and "Bottom Line" offseason conditioning programs have been a significant reason for Michigan State's success in the Coach Mark Dantonio era, as the Spartans have earned a school-record seven consecutive bowl bids, including a victory in the 2014 Rose Bowl Game over No. 5 Stanford.
Mannie is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa), the National Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (NSCA) and holds an honorary certification with the International Association of Resistance Trainers (IART). In May 2002 at its annual conference in Salt Lake City, the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association awarded Mannie the title of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC).
Mannie is also a professional member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), and the American Association for Health Education (AAHE). He has been a keynote speaker and roundtable participant at several national conventions and seminars.
In both 2006 and 2007, Mannie was named to Who's Who Among America's Teachers in recognition for his numerous and ongoing educational efforts in the field of strength and conditioning and in bringing awareness to the anabolic drug abuse problem in sports. He has been recognized and is widely-published on his adamant stance against performance-enhancing drugs.
In June 2007, the Varsity S Club inducted him as an honorary member.
He has written more than 300 articles and four book chapters on the various aspects of strength/conditioning, speed/power development, sports nutrition, motivation, athletics, and the anabolic drug abuse issue.
Since 2000, Mannie has written the monthly column "Powerline" for Coach and Athletic Director, the nation's oldest and most prestigious coaching publication. He is also a frequent contributor to the Championship Performance newsletter.
He also serves on the advisory boards for the National Strength Professionals Association (NSPA), the information-based Athletic Strength and Power (ASAP) website, and the Ultimate Strength and Conditioning website. Mannie has coached numerous All-Americans, as well as a host of players who went on to have highly successful NFL careers.
Additionally, he has served as a consultant to several NFL teams on training equipment, program design, and the organization and administration of testing protocols. Two of Mannie's former graduate assistants are currently strength and conditioning assistants in the NFL: Mondray Gee (Seattle Seahawks) and Aaron McLaurin (New York Jets). Prior to his arrival at Michigan State, Mannie spent nine years in a similar capacity at the University of Toledo (1985-94). He worked for Nick Saban in 1990 when the Rockets won a share of the Mid-American Conference title and finished 9-2.
He served as a graduate assistant along with Mark Dantonio at Ohio State in 1984, working with the Buckeyes' Big Ten championship football team.
A native of Steubenville, Ohio, Mannie taught and coached on the high school level for 10 years (1975-84). He spent nine of those years at his alma mater Steubenville Catholic Central where he coached football, wrestling and track.
He began his coaching career as a student assistant at Akron in 1974, working with the offensive guards and centers.
A former walk-on, Mannie became a three-year letterman and two-year starter at offensive guard for Akron from 1971-73. He played on the 1971 Zips' team that finished 8-2 and ranked eighth nationally in the Division II polls.
He earned his bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Akron in 1974 and received a master's degree in physical education and health education with an emphasis in exercise science from Ohio State in 1985.
Married to the former Marianne Saccoccia, he and his wife have a daughter, Alaina
Prior to his arrival at Michigan State, Mannie spent nine years in a similar capacity at the University of Toledo (1985-94). He worked for Nick Saban in 1990 when the Rockets won a share of the Mid-American Conference title and finished 9-2.
He served as a graduate assistant alongside Mark Dantonio at Ohio State in 1984, working with the Buckeyes' Big Ten championship football team.
A native of Steubenville, Ohio, Mannie taught and coached on the high school level for 10 years (1975-84). He spent nine of those years at his alma mater Steubenville Catholic Central where he coached football, wrestling and track.
He began his coaching career as a student assistant at Akron in 1974, working with the offensive guards and centers.
A former walk-on, Mannie became a three-year letterman and two-year starter at offensive guard for Akron from 1971-73. He played on the 1971 Zips' team that finished 8-2 and ranked eighth nationally in the Division II polls.
He earned his bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Akron in 1974 and received a master's degree in physical education and health education with an emphasis in exercise science from Ohio State in 1985.
Married to the former Marianne Saccoccia, he and his wife have a daughter, Alaina Antoinette (19), who is a student at Michigan State.
THE MANNIE FILE
YEARS AT MICHIGAN STATE: 20th. Joined staff on Dec. 8, 1994, from Toledo.
PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE: College -- Graduate assistant at Ohio State (1984); head strength and conditioning coach at Toledo (1985-94). Also coached and taught at the high school level for 10 years.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Akron in 1974; master's degree in health and physical education with an emphasis in exercise science from Ohio State in 1985.
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: College -- Three-year letterman and two-year starter at offensive guard at Akron (1971-73).
BOWL EXPERIENCE: Coach -- 1985 Rose Bowl, 1995 Independence Bowl, 1996 Sun Bowl, 1997 Aloha Bowl, 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl, 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic, 2003 Alamo Bowl, 2007 Champs Sports.
