ASU Football: Sun Devils’ success hinges on Manny Wilkins’ leadership

The leadership of ASU football senior quarterback Manny Wilkins will be integral to the Sun Devils’ success in 2018.

Manny Wilkins is one of the most unique individuals to ever sport the maroon and gold of ASU football.

To Sun Devil fans, the 6-foot-3 quarterback is known as a showman. Wilkins’ compilation of highlight-reel hurdles over defenders is appointment television, and no one can ever forget his clutch throws like the one to Ceejhay French Love to close an upset over No. 5 Washington last season.

But unlike most athletes, Wilkins’ life presents an even better story.

The 2017 All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention nominee has had to grow up faster than most kids around him. When Wilkins was 10 years old, his father died from a drug overdose, a truth he eventually found out at the age of 14.

Later on, Wilkins was expelled during his freshman year of high school while living in Texas. His journey then led him to California, where he recovered from a broken collarbone and early-life disappointment to become a three-star recruit in the class of 2014 by rivals.com.

Wilkins committed to play football at Arizona State on May 31, 2013, but even then, his future as a starter was uncertain.

More from Devils in Detail

• Sun Devils Primer: Game 2 vs Oklahoma State
• Sun Devil Insight: Quarterback Room
• Arizona State Spotlight: Kenny Dillingham
• Arizona State 2023 Season Opener: Off To A Good Start
• Arizona State vs USC Prediction and Promo (Expect Offensive Fireworks)

He earned the job as the Sun Devils’ starting quarterback in 2016, leading the team to a 4-0 record to begin the year. Then, he suffered a high ankle sprain against USC, and was later plagued by various injuries that kept ASU from winning more than one game for the rest of the season.

In his junior year, the mere status of being the starting quarterback was in doubt. The Sun Devils had received a transfer commitment from former Alabama five-star quarterback Blake Barnett, who was widely regarded as one of the most exciting prospects ever to come to Tempe.

But by seeking his past experiences, Wilkins was prepared. In spite of Barnett’s publicity, his fit with ASU’s system and his relationship with then-offensive coordinator and former Alabama wide receivers coach Billy Napier, Wilkins out-dueled Barnett and won the starting job.

The senior’s ability to persevere through hardships has allowed him to be recognized as one of the most mature players on the Sun Devil roster. According to coach Herm Edwards, the quarterback’s voice as a leader has grown in recent time.

"Continual growing. A lot of these guys on the committee have never been asked to do that, and I think it’s good for them. They’ve got to do that. They’ve got to get out of their comfort zone. Most young people in today’s world, they want to be liked. It’s almost like on that phone, they want their likes. They want to be respected. Sometimes you’ve got to fight across stream to be respected. So I think they’re learning that, and they’ve done a pretty good job."

Respect has been a trait Wilkins has long carried due to his deep care for his teammates. He took N’Keal Harry under his wing when the 6-foot-4 wide receiver arrived on campus two years ago, and the two were quick to show a close relationship at Pac-12 Media Day.

Wilkins has been the master of tallying these types of life victories, but even then, he’ll have higher expectations than any of his prior three seasons at ASU come this fall. The senior’s name has popped up on three prestigious college football award watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award and recently the Wuerffel Trophy.

On top of that, it’ll be on Wilkins to motivate his team to exceed the low remarks they were given to start the season. On Wednesday, 42 members of the Pac-12 media voted ASU to finish last in the Pac-12 South, with the Sun Devils being the only school in their division to not receive a first place vote.

But as Wilkins referred to at Pac-12 Media Day, this is only football.

“There’s a lot of trials and tear that go on,” Wilkins told Pac-12 Networks. “But everything I’ve been through throughout my life has helped shape me for who I am today. I could easily be somebody who blames the world for anything that goes wrong in my life, but as I’ve grown older, I’ve learned to use all these negative things that have happened in my life and turn them into positive things.”

It’s inevitable that at some point, or maybe even multiple points this season, the pressure for Wilkins to deliver a successful final year will challenge him. It’ll force him to demand more out of himself and his teammates all while trying to make everything the best it can be before his time is up.

He would tell you that the game of life is much similar to the game of football. It’ll try to wear you down all while looking for a way to see if you’re strong enough to handle certain situations.

Wilkins has defeated far greater odds in the past, and no matter how his final year in maroon and gold will go, it’s certain that he’ll sacrifice everything possible to make it the very best.