While Johnny Manziel hung his head and ran off the field after defeat on Saturday night, the critics were circling like sharks that just smelled blood.
Texas A&M fought valiantly against Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide. However, critical mistakes from Manziel spelled disaster. Johnny “Football” threw an interception on the goal line and threw another that was returned for a touchdown by Vinny Sunseri.
Courtesy: Sports Illustrated/CNN
While the Manziel-doubters smiled so slyly, you can’t help but want to rattle them by the neck. I understand his off-field choices were egregious and his celebrations are at times classless, but, to discredit his play on the field is simply moronic.
AJ McCarron, America’s golden-child, was near perfect against the Aggies. He completed 20-29 passes and threw for 334 yards and four touchdowns. McCarron is the anti-Manziel; he is quiet and is cut from the same cloth as his coach. He is such like his coach that his teammates call him Saban. While many believe McCarron “outplayed” Manziel, I sit in disbelief and wonder what many are thinking.
McCarron is not a game-manager as many like to say, he has talent and makes smart decisions. He has an arsenal of weapons that will be playing on Sundays and utilizes all of their strengths. A game-manager does not make audibles at critical times in the game nor demands perfection from his teammates. He’s a leader that makes sure to distribute the ball to his playmakers.
With all of that said, it’s important to understand the surroundings of both stellar quarterbacks before touting one over the other. Manziel is turning a lemon into a Porsche® with his supporting cast. He has a strong wide receiver in Mike Evans and Jake Matthews, a sure-fit NFL’er. But, his remaining group isn’t comparative to McCarron’s. Despite the imbalance of talent, Manziel’s stats make you do a double-take. In his Heisman winning season, Manziel racked up 3,706 yards passing along with 26 throwing touchdowns while rushing for 1,410 and 21 touchdowns on the ground.
Season-after-season the recruiting rankings are subject of the buzz and Alabama consistently finds their name in the top-five spots. Saban is a recruiting whiz and deploys interesting tactics when he hones in on a recruit he wants. He provides one page that sets him above the competition. The page depicts NFL checks from players that once played for Saban, his recent draft class that entered the NFL. $51 million is what his players combined to earn in the 2013 NFL draft. What recruit can say no to that?
McCarron has piggy-backed off the recruiting success and has welcomed the thoroughbreds to his offense. McCarron watched two of his starting lineman selected 10th and 11th overall in the first round, his running back was selected 61st overall and his center was selected in the fourth round. For this season, four offensive players were named on the preseason All-SEC first team while McCarron was passed by Manziel for first team All-SEC.
McCarron should not be discredited because of the plethora of talent around him, but, in terms of dissecting these two contrasting quarterbacks, it’s essential to consider the supporting cast.
Former college stars Matt Leinart and Brady Quinn were glorified for the eye-popping numbers the two put up at their respective schools while fizzling at the professional level. Both Leinart and Quinn worked with the best in the country while competing against under- matched opponents. The variance in talent created a smokescreen allowing for both to mask their true ability. Neither player found success in the NFL and should serve as a reminder of the cautions that come with playing alongside superior competition.
McCarron will be hearing his name called at the 2014 NFL draft and many expect Manziel to also have his name called. The 6’1 quarterback has taken football and the public by storm. He was on the cover of Time Magazine and ignited the age-old conversation, “should college players get paid?”
The NFL is also gaging their interest. Reports stated that the Cleveland Browns scouts were in attendance to specifically watch Manziel. While Brandon Weeden was a first round pick in the 2012 NFL draft, he is approaching 30 and has not played like a franchise quarterback.
While the Browns have been a laughing stock since I was in pampers, the selection of Manziel could enliven the fan base and quite frankly the entire franchise. He’s taken a rather median team to unthinkable success and many believe his play will translate to the NFL. The Browns offense employs a strong offensive line with a stellar running back in Trent Richardson but a weak group of wide receivers.
While McCarron seems likely to lead Alabama to a three-peat, it’s worth remembering that he will be replaced next season by another stellar quarterback and the trend will continue. The same cannot be said for Manziel. Johnny Football has brought life back to College Station and has ignited the University. With the resurgence of the program, led by Manziel’s eccentric play, the University has received $740 million in donations during the past year.
No longer viewed as the little brother to the University of Texas, Manziel has blazed a trail that no singular quarterback can imitate. His plays on the field and actions off the field have created the perfect storm. Manziel is in pursuit of his second Heisman trophy and will forego his remaining seasons and try his craft in the NFL.
The future is uncertain but I can guarantee that the NFL better get ready for Johnny Football because similar to his ability eluding defenders, he’s going to be a lot to handle.
