THE SCOOP
Seems like everyone has an opinion on the behavior of Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.
He was pulled from Saturday’s game after a penalty for taunting a Rice player. Then as he left the field he bumped past Kevin Sumlin, who was trying to coach him.
TV analyst Matt Millen, a longtime NFL player and once the Detroit Lions’ general manager, jumped quickly. “That kid, I would bench him this week after I gave him a size-13 (shoe) in the rear end. That stuff can’t happen. The thing that got me was when he just ignored Kevin Sumlin as he’s walking off the field. The guy won the Heisman Trophy. Everybody knows, including himself, that the spotlight is brightest on him. So … have a little class. Not third. First class.”
Others also weighed in, not all negative:
ESPN analyst Mark May, a 13-year NFL offensive lineman and member of the College Football Hall of Fame: "Now, the fans are starting to turn against Johnny Manziel. And they should. He needs to wake up. … You don't 'diss' your head coach on the football field. … When you're a leader and you're a college quarterback, you … act professional."
ESPN analyst Lou Holtz, a longtime college coach known for discipline who benched three offensive star players before the 1978 Orange Bowl game: "I have faith in Kevin Sumlin. He'll handle it properly."
Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens: "I feel like now, everybody hates him. He's quickly becoming my favorite player in college football."
ESPN analyst Trevor Matich: Manziel is a "selfish, unstable knucklehead."
ANOTHER VIEW
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel writes:
“When I asked Florida Gators coach Will Muschamp to compare the NCAA’s decision to suspend Johnny Manziel for a half-game with its two-game suspension of former Florida star Sharrif Floyd two years ago, all he would say is, “It’s very upsetting.”
He should have also added, “hypocritical, disgusting and pathetic.” The NCAA has morphed into a bad joke in the wake of its so-called Manziel investigation. Johnny Football, the Heisman winner at Texas A&M, reportedly signs thousands of autographs for thousands of dollars and gets suspended for a half-game. Meanwhile, Floyd, who was essentially living on the streets when he was in high school, took some money so he could eat and originally was suspended for an entire season by the NCAA before the penalty was reduced.”
QUOTABLE
- "You want everything to go perfect. I don't want any stress. By the way, there wasn't any, was there?" — Missouri coach Gary Pinkel after the Tigers scored 45 consecutive points to whip Murray State 58-14, after falling behind 14-13.
- "We looked out of place." — Kentucky coach Mark Stoops after his debut as a head coach in a loss to Western Kentucky and now gets ready for rival Louisville. Stoops announced a change at quarterback Monday, turning to Maxwell Smith.
- "It's a tribute to all the great players who've come before us who have laid this tradition, this passion." — The first words in his postgame news conference by Tennessee coach Butch Jones, hitting all the right notes as a new coach, after the Volunteers won Saturday for the program's 800th victory (the others who have 800 or more: Michigan, Texas, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Alabama).
BY THE NUMBERS
97,169
Attendance at Neyland Stadium on Saturday in Butch Jones’ debut as head coach. Last season, the Vols averaged 89,965, their lowest average since 1979.
8,700
Unsold tickets by Florida for the Toledo game, and there were large sections of empty seats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
About the Author
