Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel sat out the first half against Rice because of a NCAA suspension, and left the game early after being yanked by his coach. While in the game though, the popular quarterback looked like Johnny Football at his best.
After sitting out the first-half of what the school called an “inadvertent” violation of NCAA rules, Manziel threw three TD passes and ran for 19 yards as Texas A&M routed Rice 52-31 on Saturday.
Manziel threw his first touchdown to Mike Evans on a 23-yard pass and continued having a great day before Coach Kevin Sumlin yanked him following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The QB pointed at the scoreboard after a TD pass in the fourth quarter and receieved a 15-yard penalty.
“A foolish penalty at the end,” Sumlin said. “No matter what the comments are or what. He’s going to face that every week with the people chirping. That’s not OK, and obviously I addressed that on the sideline right after the play. That’s something he’s going to have to deal with every week.”
Manziel wasn’t made available to talk to the media at the end of the game but he addressed his teammates Friday night and discussed his penalty.
“Maybe actions you think just hurt you end up hurting the whole football team,” Sumlin said. “That was the real gist of his message to the team, that everybody’s individual acts affect the team and when that happens it’s not good.”
