Nov. 3, 2002
Luke Manget needs help.
Not on the football field, where Georgia Tech’s record-setting placekicker does just fine, thank you.
But as an aspiring musician, he could use a little help in the recording studio, where he plans to cut an album with his younger brother, Daniel. A few backup singers would be helpful. And most important of all, a catchy name for the brothers Manget from Conyers, Ga.
“My brother won six free hours in a recording studio in a radio station contest, so we’re going to make an album,” said Manget.
“We both play the acoustic guitar and the mandolin. It’s just the two of us, but we might have some guest artists. My mom might join us; she’s a good singer.
“It will be mostly covers, but we might throw a couple of original songs on there. It’ll be a little bit of everything – country, blue grass, a little classic rock.”
So ask Manget about rhythm, and he’ll think you’re talking about his music, not about the fact that he has hit 51 of 73 career field goals (69.9 percent) and an Atlantic Coast Conference-record 153 consecutive extra points.
A two-time, first-team all-ACC honoree, Manget added to his already impressive kicking resume in the Yellow Jackets’ 24-17 upset of eighth-ranked NC State last Saturday in Raleigh, N.C. With three field goals and an extra point, he raised his career total to 306 points and became Georgia Tech’s all-time leading scorer, passing former Tech all-America Scott Sisson. Manget’s 306 career points stands fifth in ACC history, 20 points behind conference-record holder Scott Bentley of Florida State.
“There couldn’t be a better way to break a record than to be able to contribute to a great win like that,” said Manget, who was recruited to the gridiron from the soccer field as a ninth grader at Rockdale County High.
Manget, who has hit his last seven field goals to improve to 9-for-13 on the season, hopes to again play a key role for the Yellow Jackets (6-3, 3-3 ACC) as they host 17th-ranked Florida State (6-3, 5-0 ACC) Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in a regionally televised (ABC) contest at Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field.
Music isn’t the only thing that Manget shares with his family. He also inherited a penchant for aviation from his paternal grandfather, who was a fighter pilot in the Pacific in World War II and then served as the long-time manager of Peachtree-DeKalb Airport in Atlanta. Henry Fairfield Manget is a member of the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame; his grandson is nowhere near that, but he has taken flying lessons, which he plans to resume in the spring.
“I’ve basically learned how to do everything, but I just haven’t done it alone yet,” said Manget, who has trained on a Cessna 152, which he describes as a “tiny plane.”
“I’m about 8-10 hours away from flying solo.”
All alone. That’s where Luke Manget stands in the Georgia Tech record book.
MANGET IN THE TECH RECORD BOOK
With 10 points against NC State, placekicker Luke Manget became Georgia Tech’s all-time scoring leader. The senior all-America candidate is 51-for-73 on field goals and 153-for-153 on extra points in his career for a total of 306 points. He broke the Tech record set by placekicker Scott Sisson (299 points, 1989-92).
TECH CAREER SCORING Years Pts 1. Luke Manget 1999- 306 2. Scott Sisson 1989-92 299
TECH CAREER FIELD GOALS Years FG 1. Scott Sisson 1989-92 60 2. Luke Manget 1999- 51
TECH CAREER PAT Years PAT 1. Luke Manget 1999- 153 2. Scott Sisson 1989-92 119
ACC CAREER POINTS (* Placekicker) Years Pts 1. *Scott Bentley, FSU 1993-96 326 2. *Sebastian Janikowski, FSU 1997-99 324 3. Ted Brown, NC State 1975-78 312 4. *Jess Atkinson, Maryland 1981-84 308 5. Leon Johnson, North Carolina 1993-96 306 *Luke Manget, Georgia Tech 1999- 306
