Justin Manning returned to Tufts last season as the team’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He led a defense that saw five Jumbos earn All-Conference accolades, including linebackers EJ Comerford and Matty Drouillard. Over the summer Manning was selected for the NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship and worked with the Atlanta Falcons' linebacker position group. Previously the Jumbos’ cornerbacks coach and video coordinator in 2016, he went on to Division I coaching roles at Duke for the 2017-19 and 2021 seasons, and at Eastern Illinois in 2020. A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Manning is a 2011 graduate of North Carolina Central University with a degree in business administration. He was a four-year letter-winner as a fullback with the Eagles. Manning went right into coaching at Fayetteville State and Boston College. He has master's degrees in athletic administration at NC State, in criminal justice from Fayetteville State and in administrative studies from Boston College.