The week that was in the always unpredictable life of Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel:
Two up
- Manziel's hopes for a second consecutive Heisman Trophy are certainly up since Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota jettisoned his frontrunner Heisman status with a dismal performance in a loss to Stanford Thursday night. His 20-of-34 night, with 250 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, was a classic case of numbers lying. The number that didn't lie was the zero on the scoreboard for three-plus quarters. Meanwhile, Manziel continues to spin numbers faster than a California gas pump. Injured Aggies wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones drove the point home on Twitter:
- Manziel's draft stock seems to be going nowhere but up, if we are to believe the NFL executive that suggested to philly.com earlier this week that the star quarterback could be the top pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in the neighborhood of the 10th overall choice next spring.
Two down
- Aggies fans who are assuming Manziel will leave after the season will certainly be down after Saturday, because if they're right, he'll be making his final home appearance ever. Although the Aggies have three games left on the schedule, the last two are on the road at LSU and at Missouri. That means Saturday's CBS telecast against Mississippi State from College Station may well be Manziel's Kyle Field swan song. After that, being that the Aggies are all but out of the hunt in the SEC West, another potential Cotton Bowl appearance may be as close to home as it will get for Aggies fans.
- Down, as in, down low. That's how Johnny Football kept his Halloween, however it was spent. Exactly one year after riding a social media wave of Halloween attention in a Scooby-Doo costume, did you notice photos of Manziel rollicking his way through a Halloween party never surfaced this year? Johnny Football fans are left to conclude one of three possibilities: 1) Manziel, in a sign of maturity, didn't want the attention this time around (nah, too far-fetched); 2) Manziel was told not to party, and complied (not quite as far-fetched); or, 3) The party was on, but those invited were on Vegas rules. Cell phones collected at the door, and what happened there, stayed there.
Parting sweet sorrow?
A feature on Manziel was produced as part of the Kevin Sumlin Show this week (video below), and three interesting nuggets came out of it: 1) Manziel's roommate when the team is on the road is none other than the team's other star redshirt sophomore, wide receiver Mike Evans. Given their chemistry, that's hardly surprising. 2) Manziel says that the curtailing of his rushing attempts this season, in favor or more pocket passing, has to do with his development as a quarterback rather than self-preservation; and 3) Check out the tail end of the clip, as Manziel reflects on his decision to attend A&M. He refers to the opportunity in the past tense, and, frankly, doesn't sound like a guy intending to come back in 2014.
Sumlin silent, but not Aggies admin
If Manziel were to shock the masses and come back to school, it wouldn't be because Sumlin begged him to. The coach said earlier this week that for any underclassman considering an early jump to the pros, he'll only offer his two cents if asked. ... It was a rather curious move on the part of Texas A&M this week to downplay the monetary value derived by the school from Manziel's 2012 Heisman Trophy. What was to be gained by it? Seemingly nothing. What was lost? For those who don't believe it, credibility. And it appears A&M realized it soon after.
Johnny by the numbers
Forget yards. Manziel's impact is far more easily measured in miles. When he reaches 89 yards in total offense against Mississippi State Saturday -- probably at some point, based on his season pace, before the end of the first quarter -- he'll have amassed two miles in total offense this season. That's 3,520 yards.
Random Manziel Tweet of the Week
It's only November, but this Eagles fan already can't wait for next season. So he's video gaming it to pass the time.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.
