Dylan Manning never thought he would play varsity football as a freshman.

But when the opportunity presented itself, Manning seized it with a calm and stoic demeanor reflective of the family members who came through the Rochelle football program before him.

Manning started his first year of high school with the fresh-soph team, but it became evident very early that his talents exceeded playing at the lower levels. Meanwhile, the Hubs were seeking an answer as to who would emerge as their starting varsity wingback.

That answer was Manning, who made his varsity debut during Rochelle’s third game of the 2023 season, a home matchup against Johnsburg.

Wearing the No. 41 jersey after his uncle Jim Gensler, whose sons Garrett and Grant Gensler rank among Rochelle’s all-time leading rushers, Manning sprinted for 102 yards and three scores as the Hubs totaled over 400 yards in a dominant 48-0 victory.

“It was unbelievable to me,” Manning said. “When I heard, I got ready to play varsity football. Coach [Kyle] Kissack treated me great and he just wanted me to do the best I could... I wasn’t very nervous going into that first game. I was ready to play because I love football.”

From that moment on, Manning has been a fixture of the Rochelle backfield.

Now two games into his junior season, Manning has rushed for over 2,000 yards, eclipsing that mark after rumbling for 173 yards and two scores during Rochelle’s Week 1 victory against Geneseo. Having played alongside his older cousin Grant for each of the last two years, Manning is now the top back for the first time in his career.

“My offensive line has been amazing and the other backs also block well,” Manning said. “They help me to achieve my goals and do what I do. This year, more teams are focusing on me because they had Grant to focus on last year. There’s more on me this year and I have a lot more people gunning for me. It’s a great feeling and I want to do just as good as Grant and his brother Garrett did.”

As a freshman, Manning helped guide Rochelle to a 7-3 record and a first-round playoff appearance against state powerhouse St. Francis. Although the Spartans eliminated the Hubs from the playoffs, Manning showed breakaway speed and excellent vision, rushing for a team-high 117 yards and two scores including a 43-yarder late in the game.

“Dylan’s intentional development and the consistency with which he prepares have really been the catalyst for him,” Kissack said. “As dynamic as he is as an offensive weapon, he’s equally, if not more reliable, in the blocking scheme. He’s humble, he understands what we are working to accomplish as a program and he willingly stands in the gap for the best interest of our team.”

By the end of his freshman season, Manning ranked second on the team in rushing yards (726) and rushing touchdowns (11), only one behind his cousin Grant. He was also named to the All-Interstate 8/KRC First Team despite not making his varsity debut until Week 3. After finishing his season strong, Manning developed his body over the offseason, adding around 20 pounds to his frame as a sophomore.

“It gave me a lot of confidence knowing what I could do against a better team that’s always in the playoffs,” Manning said. “It was a huge goal of mine to gain as much height and weight as I could. Whenever I saw food, I ate as much as I could until I was full.”

Manning’s role on the team grew significantly during his sophomore year, as he replaced former teammate Tommy Tourdot as one of the starting cornerbacks in addition to sharing kick return duties with his cousin Grant.

Manning remained the starting wingback on offense, rushing for 1,267 yards and 18 touchdowns on a team-best 11.4 yards per carry. Defensively, Manning posted 34 tackles and six pass breakups with two interceptions at the cornerback position.

“I was expecting to have a two-way role,” Manning said. “Grant and I had talked about who would play cornerback with Tommy leaving. I like playing defense, so it was exciting for me. It was my first time playing cornerback, but coach [Justin] Otte helped me a lot. I played some 7 on 7s over the offseason and I went up against some of the best receivers in the suburbs, so that helped me a lot too.”

The 2024 season was a historic season for the Hubs, who reached the Class 5A state quarterfinals and recorded their first 10-win season in over two decades.

But it was also a memorable season for Manning, who surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time while wearing the No. 10 jersey, a number worn by his father Ben and his two older brothers, Luke and Caden. Garrett Gensler, who ranks among the program’s all-time leading rushers and owns both the career and single-season rushing touchdown records, also wore the No. 10.

“It was awesome to wear the No. 10 for the first time,” said Manning, whose Rochelle football roots include his grandfather, Jim, who was a guard for the Hubs several decades ago. “The hard-nosed running is something I learned from Garrett and Grant. Every year, I’m thinking that I want to be better than them and I’m always competing with them. It’s awesome how everyone in my family played for the same program. My grandpa played here and it’s fun to listen to his stories.”

A multi-sport athlete who plays varsity baseball at Rochelle, Manning took up running back at an early age. Playing within the wing-T system of the Rochelle Junior Tackle program, Manning frequently had the ball in his hands. As time has passed, he said his desire to be a running back has become less about scoring and more about making plays.

“At Rochelle, you get the ball a lot and I love to make plays,” Manning said. “In RJT, you’re thinking about touchdowns, touchdowns, touchdowns. Now, I love hitting people and making big plays.”

Manning has continued making big plays early into his junior season. The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder ran for 169 yards and two touchdowns during Rochelle’s 28-18 win over Chicago King on Saturday, picking up a key first down late in the game and helping the Hubs start 2-0 despite losing starting quarterback Van Gerber to a shoulder injury.

Manning, who has moved from cornerback to strong safety this season, aspires to play football collegiately. A scholar-athlete, Manning holds a 3.8 GPA and was an IHSFCA Academic All-State honoree at the end of his sophomore season. On the field, he continues to be motivated by his cousins Garrett, who played at NIU for two years, and Grant, who currently plays at UW-Eau Claire.

“I just want to get bigger and faster,” Manning said. “As long as I’ve competing with Garrett’s legacy, I’m good.”