HAYS – After playing through injury and even missing a game last season, Fort Hays State wide receiver Manny Ramsey is healthy and back on the football field as the Tigers prepare for the upcoming 2022 season.
“I’m just glad to be out here again.” Ramsey said. “It’s been so long, we’re all ready to work we’re all ready to come here and compete and it’s just a blessing to be out here and we’re all thankful for that.”
Like a lot of his fellow seniors, Ramsey is beginning his sixth year with the Tigers. After redshirting in 2017 he played in 12 games making two starts on the Tigers 2018 MIAA champion and NCAA II playoff team. He tied for the team lead in yards per catch (15.9). Ramsey received All-MIAA Honorable Mention recognition following the 2019 campaign where he led the Tigers in receiving touchdowns (10) and ranked second on the team in receptions (47), receiving yards (808) and yards per catch (17.2).
The Canadian, Texas native played through injury and even missed a game last year but still garnered All-MIAA Third Team honors and again led the Tigers in receiving yards (811) and receptions (65).
“The recovery process went long but went well so we’re all healthy and we’re ready to come back stronger”
Ramsay was a part of the same recruiting class as quarterback Chance Fuller and he says the two have built a bond that goes beyond the football field.
“We came in as freshman together, we’ve always had that connection.” Ramsey said. “We’ve always been really close friends, I consider him my brother for sure. We’re up here in the summer all of the time just making sure we’re on the same page.”
The Tigers have brought in a couple of Division I transfers to try to bolster the wide receiver position.
Marcellus Crutchfield spent two seasons at Oklahoma seeing action in one game in 2020 but none in 2021.
Dawson Brown II comes from Alabama-Birmingham. He started his career at Western Carolina where he redshirted his freshman season then then transferred to Copiah-Lincoln (MS) CC for a year and then on to UAB but did not see any action for the Blazers last season.
“We welcome them like family and they’ve both stepped in and learned the playbook really fast.” Ramsey said. “We’re expecting big things out of them, but not just them, the receivers that came back last year, we’re expecting big things from them. We’re all looking good, it’s a big room but we’re ready to compete for sure.“
Ramsey and the rest of the Tigers will be available for autographs on Saturday, August 20th at Big Creek Crossing from 1-3 p.m.