Gilbride: Mario Could Be Special

By John Fennelly

October 7, 2010

Giants’ Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride met the media today and answered a question regarding the development of WR Mario Manningham…..

“I think that it’s the natural maturation that comes from just growing up. As you get older, experience more of life and some of the good and some of the bad – and he’s had to deal with it all – I think there’s just naturally that growth and development that takes place, but I would also add that I think that his determination to be a special player has also forced him now to maybe bear down more than he had to in college, just because he was probably physically better than everybody. Here he’s still physically very competitive with anybody, but now you have to win with technique and understanding.”

“We ask him to do a lot of different things, which we ask of all of our receivers – I’m not sure that that was always the case when he was in college. The good thing is that he’s very positive. He wants to be very good, he wants to be special, so his work ethic is excellent. There’s a complete commitment by him to be an elite receiver, which is terrific.”