Miked Up With Paul VI Alumni DJ Mangas
Back in the fall of 2005, DCSportsFan covered its first high school football game at Paul VI High School. Starting at quarterback for the Panthers that night was D.J. Mangas, who led the team past Broad Run High School. Mangas was the first high school player we interviewed, and he went on to play football at William & Mary before entering the coaching ranks (full bio below the video).
Mangas is currently the passing game coordinator with LSU, and you can see a “Miked Up” segment with him below. In addition, former Bishop McNamara football player Daronte Jones is the team’s defensive coordinator.
From Press Release, Jan. 6, 2021
LSU has reached into the NFL to fill vacant positions on its coaching staff, as DJ Mangas will serve as the passing game coordinator, head coach Ed Orgeron announced on Jan. 6, 2021. Mangas comes to LSU after serving on the staff of the Carolina Panthers. Mangas was an offensive assistant to former LSU coach Joe Brady on the Panthers’ staff.
Mangas was an offensive analyst for LSU during its national championship season in 2019. Mangas has spent the past two seasons working alongside Brady at both LSU and Carolina.
Mangas, a former quarterback and wide receiver at William & Mary, served as running backs coach at his alma mater from 2014-16 before being elevated to offensive coordinator for two years from 2017-18. Other stops for Mangas include Hampton-Sydney College in 2012 and Georgetown University in 2013.
At the time of his promotion at William & Mary, Mangas was the second-youngest offensive coordinator in Division I football in 2017 and 2018. During his first season as coordinator, Mangas led four players to all-conference seasons, including offensive linemen Chris Durant and Connor Hilland, who signed NFL free agent contracts. Before being promoted to offensive coordinator, Mangas coached the Tribe’s running backs for three seasons, leading Mikal Abdul-Saboor (3,108) and Kendell Anderson (3,082) to fourth and fifth place finishes on the program’s all-time rushing list.
In 2019 at LSU, Mangas helped LSU to a 15-0 mark with quarterback Joe Burrow winning the Heisman Trophy, while Ja’Marr Chase was named the Biletnikoff Award winner. LSU averaged 568.5 yards and 48.4 points per game in 2019 as the Tigers set numerous SEC and LSU records on their way to claiming the national title.
“I’m beyond excited for the opportunity to be back in Baton Rouge and coaching for LSU and Coach Orgeron,” Mangas said. “I was fortunate enough to be a part of the 2019 team and see exactly what this offense and these players are capable of. It fires me up to see the potential we have for the 2021 offense. I can’t wait to meet with the rest of the staff, coaches, and players and get to work. Geaux Tigers!”
