Manny Hendrix
Encyclopedia
Manuel Hendrix is a former American football
cornerback
in the National Football League
for the Dallas Cowboys
. He played college basketball
at the University of Utah
.
where he was named all-state in basketball
and football
.
He was a four-year starter for the University of Utah
basketball team, finishing his career ranked 14th in scoring with 1,493 points and fifth in assists with 409. The three-year team captain helped the Utes
to the NCAA Tournament
in 1983
where they eliminated UCLA
reaching the Sweet 16, and again in 1986
where they lost to North Carolina
in the First round.
During his senior year he was named team MVP and all-WAC
. He is perhaps best remembered for hitting the winning shots in back-to-back games in the 1985 WAC Tournament
.
In 2005 he was inducted into the Crimson Club Hall of Fame.
, although he never played a down of college football
, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys
as a rookie undrafted free agent, following on the foot steps of Cornell Green, Peter Gent
, Percy Howard
and Ken Johnson
, as basketball
players that were converted by the Cowboys to play professional football
.
In 1990
he became a starter at left cornerback
.
In 1991
he lost his starting spot to rookie Larry Brown
.
, he was left unprotected in Plan B free agency
and signed with the San Francisco 49ers
, but was cut during training camp.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. He played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
.
Early years
Hendrix attended South Mountain High SchoolSouth Mountain High School
South Mountain High School is part of the Phoenix Union High School District. The campus is located at 5401 South 7th Street in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. South Mountain’s enrollment is 2000 students...
where he was named all-state in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
.
He was a four-year starter for the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
basketball team, finishing his career ranked 14th in scoring with 1,493 points and fifth in assists with 409. The three-year team captain helped the Utes
Utah Utes men's basketball
The University of Utah Utes have consistently been one of the most successful basketball programs in the NCAA. They are currently an NCAA Division I program that plays in the Pacific-12 Conference. The school has made the NCAA Tournament 26 times, which ranks 16th in NCAA history and 3rd behind...
to the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
in 1983
1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 2, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known...
where they eliminated UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
reaching the Sweet 16, and again in 1986
1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1986, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Dallas, Texas...
where they lost to North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
in the First round.
During his senior year he was named team MVP and all-WAC
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
. He is perhaps best remembered for hitting the winning shots in back-to-back games in the 1985 WAC Tournament
WAC Men's Basketball Tournament
The Western Athletic Conference has held a postseason tournament to crown a men's basketball champion every year since 1984. The event has alternated between being hosted at campus sites and neutral sites throughout its history...
.
In 2005 he was inducted into the Crimson Club Hall of Fame.
Dallas Cowboys
In 1986 season1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:...
, although he never played a down of college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
as a rookie undrafted free agent, following on the foot steps of Cornell Green, Peter Gent
Peter Gent
George Davis Peter Gent was a Michigan State University basketball player and National Football League wide receiver turned novelist.-Early days:...
, Percy Howard
Percy Howard
Percy Lenard Howard is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys in 1975. He was an unlikely star for the CowBoys in Super Bowl X.-Early years:...
and Ken Johnson
Ken Johnson (American football)
Ralph Kenneth Johnson Ralph Kenneth Johnson Ralph Kenneth Johnson (born February 12, 1947 in Anderson, Indiana is a former professional American football player who played defensive tackle for eight seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals....
, as basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
players that were converted by the Cowboys to play professional football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
.
In 1990
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
he became a starter at left cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
.
In 1991
1991 NFL season
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
he lost his starting spot to rookie Larry Brown
Larry Brown (cornerback)
Larry Brown, Jr. is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and the Oakland Raiders. He is mostly known for being named the MVP of Super Bowl XXX. Brown was a starting cornerback on all three Dallas Cowboys championship teams of the nineties...
.
San Francisco 49ers
At the end of the 1991 season1991 NFL season
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
, he was left unprotected in Plan B free agency
Plan B free agency
The Plan B free agency was a type of free agency that became active in the National Football League in February 1989. Plan B free agency permitted all teams in the NFL to preserve limited rights of no more than 37 total players a season...
and signed with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, but was cut during training camp.