DETROIT _ It's a job he was destined for, though Warde Manuel didn't always see it that way.
The star high school defensive tackle from New Orleans was recruited by college football programs across the nation. He decided to play for the legendary Bo Schembechler, who convinced him to don the maize and blue and perform in the Big House at the University of Michigan.
Manuel intended to become a pharmacist after he graduated, but fate, a tough chemistry class and former Michigan Athletic Director Joe Roberson (who had other ideas for Manuel) set him on a different course _ college athletics administration.
Thirty-one years later, and after stops at the University at Buffalo and the University of Connecticut, Manuel has come full circle and is the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics at Michigan.
One of the highest-ranking African-Americans in professional or amateur athletics, Manuel is focused on academics �� which struck a particular chord with Michigan President Mark Schlissel when he named him to his dream job 18 months ago.
"We looked at outstanding candidates with experience at some of the most successful programs from all around the country," said Schlissel. "The decision to select Warde, however, was one of the easiest I've made since I've been here."
"Warde has proven to be a very professional athletics director with a clear set of priorities that capture how Michigan thinks about intercollegiate athletics _ competition at the highest level with a commitment to the education and well-being of our student-athletes, and a great experience for our many fans," Schlissel said.
Academics are important to Manuel. He has three degrees _ a bachelor's in general studies, an MBA and a master's degree in social work.
He oversees an annual budget of $182 million and more than 900 student athletes competing in 29 sports.
Manuel pursued his graduate degrees while working for the department. He and his wife, Chrislan Fuller Manuel, were also raising their young family. Today, their daughter Emma is a 23-year-old, soon-to-be second-year medical school student at Michigan; and 19-year-old son Evan is a sophomore at Michigan pursuing sports management. He is also a student manager for John Beilein's men's basketball program.
I first met Manuel nearly 20 years ago when he was an assistant AD under Tom Goss. I wrote about the business of sports, and we often talked about that then, and still do today.
Manuel had been looking at social work or psychology professorial positions but changed to athletic management in 1997. He worked his way up the ladder in Ann Arbor under several ADs including Roberson, Goss and Bill Martin.
"Warde knows how to get things done, which gave me confidence to give him more to do," said Goss, chairman of Goss LLC. "His first 18 months (as Michigan AD) have been successful including selecting the right hockey coach (Mel Pearson) to follow a legend in Red Berenson. Warde also has the right personality to manage the most visible coach in America (Jim Harbaugh)."
As an associate AD, Manuel worked with businessman and Michigan alum Stephen M. Ross and raised $12 million in 11 months.
He has also shown an ability to deal with adversity.
When he took over the University of Connecticut job in 2012, the men's basketball program was on probation and under a postseason ban because of a poor academic record.
The university removed its director of academic services for athletics, and that responsibility was transferred to the school's provost. Jim Calhoun, the University of Connecticut's men's basketball coach, retired before the 2012 season after breaking his hip. Manuel hired Kevin Ollie as his replacement.
Under Manuel's leadership and upon his arrival in Connecticut, he assumed direct control over academic responsibility for the department's student athletes and, just two years later, UConn captured the men's and women's national basketball titles in 2014.
Manuel has learned to roll with the punches, like he did his junior year when he suffered a serious neck injury. As a result, he didn't play his senior year.
He and Harbaugh's paths crossed when Harbaugh was a senior quarterback for the Wolverines and Manuel was a freshman defense tackle.
They reunited again before the cameras Jan. 29, 2016, when Harbaugh presented Manuel's No. 79 football jersey to Manuel at the news conference announcing him as the new AD.
At 6 feet 5 inches, Manuel is imposing. Even if he wasn't dressed in his maize and blue apparel, you'd know who he was if you travel around Ann Arbor.
The affable Manuel is a natural for the job, which includes being leader, part salesman and counselor to coaches and student athletes.
"What I love most about Warde is how he works behind the scenes and his desire to be there for the athletic department and not be the athletic department," said Andrea Fischer Newman, a regent at Michigan. "Warde is smart, has a great sense of humor, good values and leads with a combination of those three things. He also has a great relationship with the broader campus and a strong understanding of the intersection between academics and athletics."
"I am very pleased with his work," she said.
Since returning to Ann Arbor and, far away from the scrutiny of media and fans, Manuel held a dinner at an undisclosed location with his predecessors, where they reminisced and offered him advice.
I asked what they told him, and he said, "Work hard, deal with issues head on, do the best you can do."
Manuel understands the demands, opportunities and temptations before student athletes.
"I was a freshman 1,000 miles from home," he said. "I had done well in high school, but I had freedom at U-M when I first got there and didn't utilize my time and opportunities the way I should have."
His grades began to slip.
"I remember Coach Schembechler and my father sitting me down and talking with me. I needed to change my attitude and my ways," he said. He did and became a more serious-minded student.
We talked about his job today.
"I like interacting with the student athletes, coaches and helping them find success _ academically as well as athletically," he said.
When I asked him what stood out so far during his time as AD, he said, "The day I was announced. The number of e-mails and texts I received to welcome me back to Ann Arbor was a highlight and, Jim presenting me my jersey."
I asked him what has been the toughest part of the job.
"Letting coaches go," he said. The men's and women's lacrosse coaches were fired in May.
"When I make a decision that someone will no longer lead our program or, be part of our athletic program, it's not something I take lightly," he said. "It's never easy."
He's also not forgotten lessons learned from his playing days.
"Bo's message was always that to take what we've learned from the Michigan experience and make an impact on the world."
