[3] Manca accepted a football scholarship from Penn State University, to play under head coach Joe Paterno, who also had an Italian heritage.
As a true freshman in 1982, he replaced the injured starter Nick Gancitano in the season opener against the Temple University, making a 37-yard field goal attempt and all 4 of his extra point tries.
In the fourth game against the number 2 ranked University of Nebraska, he had a nightmare of a performance, missing three field goals and one extra point.
Gancitano, regained his starting job, contributing to the 1982 National Championship season and eventually setting a career school record with 77.6 percent field-goal accuracy (38-of-49 field goals).
He tied a school single-game record with 5 field goals in the tenth contest against the University of Notre Dame.
[5] Manca was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals after the 1987 NFL draft on May 4.
In February 1989, Manca signed with the Dallas Cowboys, after a try-out at a free agent kicking combine in Reno, Nevada.
The asthma field is over there", while pointing to the parking lot at the Cowboys Valley Ranch complex.