Recruiting Areas: Western Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania
Manny Rojas begins his second season as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Lafayette.
Rojas changed the Leopards' defensive scheme prior to the 2019 season, but there was no let down. Five of his charges earned All-Patriot League status led by Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Malik Hamm who was a first-team selection. Safety Yasir Thomas '20, who was third in the nation in fumble recoveries, also garnered first-team status while defensive lineman Keith Earle '20 and linebackers Major Jordan and Billy Shaeffer were second-team selections.
Rojas spent all of the 2017 and 2018 campaigns as the linebackers coach under Danny Rocco where he was the Special Teams Co-Coordinator and coached Troy Reeder to All-America honors at linebacker. Much of his collegiate football experience coincides with Rocco’s coaching stops. He played for him at Liberty University before joining Rocco on the coaching staff at his alma mater as a special teams assistant, then as the linebackers coach at Richmond for five seasons before his last stop at Delaware.
During his 12 seasons as a college coach and player, Rojas has been a part of six conference championships and three NCAA playoff appearances.
Much of Richmond’s success during its NCAA playoff run from 2014-2016 can be attributed to the play of the defensive unit, particularly from the linebacker corps. Rojas helped guide the Spiders’ defense to Colonial Athletic Association top-five rankings in passing defense (No. 2 at 170.2 yards per game), total defense (No. 3/317.0 yards per game), scoring defense (No. 5/23.4 points per game) and rushing defense (No. 5/146.8 yards per game) in 2016.
Richmond linebackers earned numerous All-CAA honors under Rojas’ tutelage. Omar Howard garnered first-team honors in 2016, Eric Wright earned All-CAA laurels in three straight seasons and Aaron Roane took home honors in 2013 and 2014. In 2012, Rojas helped a pair of Spider linebackers (Darius McMillan and Wright) earn All-CAA recognition as the entire defensive unit was plus-22 in turnover margin.
During Rojas’ first full season on the coaching staff in 2010, Liberty excelled on the defensive side of the ball. The Flames ranked No. 24 nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 20.18 points per game, which also led the Big South by more than five points per game. That marked the fourth year in a row Liberty was ranked nationally in the FCS Top 25 in scoring defense.
The Flames also finished the 2010 season ranked No. 17 in the country in total defense, allowing 309.18 yards per game. Liberty’s run defense, which ranked No. 20 in the country, set a program standard by allowing just 1,273 total rushing yards. In 2011, the Flames led the Big South in scoring defense (22 ppg) and were second in total defense (343.3 ypg).
On the playing field at Liberty, Rojas was a dominating force, finishing his career with 348 tackles, including 102 as a senior. A two-time All-Big South performer, Rojas ranks third in the conference record books for career tackles, assisted stops (208) and forced fumbles (7) while ranking eighth in solo tackles (140).
Rojas senior season marked a dramatic change in the culture that surrounded Liberty football, when Rocco took over as head coach. After finishing the prior season with a 1-10 record, Rojas played a key role, both statistically and as a team captain, in guiding the team to a 6-5 record. The five-win improvement over the previous season marked the best turnaround in all of NCAA FCS football for the 2006 season.
In that season, Liberty set a new program standard, allowing just 172 total points while finishing 12th in the nation in scoring defense (15.6 ppg). Liberty set seven additional defensive records in 2006, including a new standard for shutouts, as Liberty blanked three opponents. The Flames also knocked off No. 24 Charleston Southern in the season finale to mark the first the first win over a Top-25 program in a decade.
Rojas came to Liberty following a standout career at West Allegheny High School in Imperial, Pennsylvania He was a three-year starter for the Indians, where he earned first team all-conference and All-State honors.
As a senior, he helped lead West Allegheny to the AAA state championship and was a member of the Pennsylvania Big 33 squad. He was also named to the “Fabulous 22” Pittsburgh Post Gazette squad and the Metro Index Scouting Service Top 50 of Western Pennsylvania.
A native of Oakdale, Pennsylvania, Rojas graduated from Liberty in 2007 with a bachelor of science degree in Communication Studies with an Advertising and Public Relations concentration. He and his wife, Deanna, have a son, Aiden, and daughter, Camelia.
