Manuel developed his management skills as assistant athletic director and then associate AD at the University of Michigan. He credits Michigan coaches and staff for his success, including Bo Schembechler, Stephen M. Ross, and Greg Harden, now Director of Athletic Counseling at Michigan.[8]
Manuel was responsible for the hiring of Turner Gill as the head coach of Buffalo's football team. Under Gill the team achieved its first winning season and first invitation to a postseason bowl game since the program joined NCAA Division I athletics in 1999. Manuel helped change Buffalo's image and marketing strategy. Immediately after he took office, Manuel replaced the old "Bull Head" logo with a sleeker, more modern bull. Manuel also increased the athletics budget from $11 million to $25 million within three years of his hiring.
References
^"Warde Manuel". www.umsalary.info. Retrieved November 19, 2024.