Manley makes Miss. State visit
Already owning a trio of in-state offers, Bowling Green (Ky.) High School junior Joe Manley took in his first experience at Mississippi State over the weekend.
The 6-foot-6 and 310-pound offensive lineman made the trip to Starkville with his dad and observed the Bulldogs' spring football game.
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"Their campus is real nice," said Manley. "I hadn't heard much about Mississippi State before I went so it was a lot better than I anticipated. I like how
the campus is all laid out and everyone in town is for Mississippi State. It was good to meet Coach Scott Sallach and Coach John Hevesy and I liked meeting
all their coaches.
"They told me to come down anytime I wanted to and that they would love for me to be at their summer camp. I am not a big fan of camps but if the coaches want me there then I will try to make it."
Manley currently owns offers from Kentucky, Louisville and Western Kentucky. Yet he is also drawing interest from many others, including Mississippi State,
and has remained busy visiting schools.
"I am not sure where I might visit this coming Saturday but I will be at Vanderbilt again on Sunday," said Manley, who is being recruited as a tackle and a guard. "I have already visited Louisville, Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky and also Vanderbilt once.
"There are a lot of schools coming to see me this spring so it should get even more interesting then. All of the schools I have visited are interested along
with Indiana, Illinois, Miami and UCLA."
Concerning his eventual collegiate decision, Manley plans to stay somewhat close to home and he's already got a list of factors that will determine that choice.
"I don't have any early favorites and I am just seeing who all will offer and see who I like," said Manley. "I want to try to stay within seven or eight hours from home and that radius covers all the Big Ten and SEC schools that are recruiting me.
"I am looking at how the coaches are and what life is like at these schools when I am not playing football. I am seeing how I would fit in there outside of football. I am also looking hard at academics. I want to maybe major in physical therapy and stay in the athletic field."