Auburn transfer and cancer survivor Tashawn Manning will play his final season at UK
The “Big Blue Wall” got a big addition ahead of the early signing period.
Tashawn Manning, a former starter on Auburn’s offensive line, on Monday announced via posts to his Instagram and Twitter accounts that he’ll be transferring to Kentucky for his final year of college eligibility.
Manning, recruited to Auburn as a defensive lineman, was the Tigers’ starting left guard throughout the entire 2020 season. Auburn moved another lineman, Brandon Council, to left guard this season, pushing Manning into a reserve role for much of it. He started at left guard in the Tigers’ games against Mississippi State and South Carolina, and at right guard in their regular-season finale against Alabama. Pro Football Focus graded Manning as the Tigers’ best run blocker in the snaps he played for them this season.
He is the first known transfer that will join Kentucky as part of the 2022 recruiting class, and his commitment comes on the heels of an official visit that included several potential others. Virginia Tech receiver Tayvion Robinson visited during the weekend as well, and briefly sent out a tweet declaring his intent to transfer to UK before deleting it; he’s making his announcement Wednesday, the start of the early signing period.
Manning declined an interview request but offered a statement to the Herald-Leader.
“I want to let everyone know that I’m ready to work and I’m all in,” Manning said.
Kentucky had success bringing in an offensive line transfer from another Southeastern Conference school — LSU’s Dare Rosenthal — this season. Manning next season is likely to start at one of the two guard spots along with either Eli Cox or Jager Burton.
Manning in November 2015, during his senior year of high school, was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, which delayed his enrollment at Auburn. Then-Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn called Manning immediately upon learning of the diagnosis and informed him that Auburn would honor his scholarship regardless of if he ever played for the school.
“It was great reassurance knowing I had a light at the end of the tunnel,” Manning told reporters in 2020.
After eight months of chemotherapy treatments, Manning enrolled at Auburn in January 2017.
This story was originally published December 13, 2021 at 5:18 PM.
