HOOVER, Ala. - Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin never came right out and said publicly during his visit at SEC media days what he thinks about his Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Johnny Manziel’s off-season shenanigans, which included his unscheduled departure from the Manning Passing Academy the weekend before arriving in Hoover.
Manziel, a sophomore, has also posted pictures of his partying and holding wads of cash in Las Vegas and tweeted a disparaging comment about College Station, Texas, after receiving a parking ticket.
Sumlin said he and others have had discussions about Manziels’s activities and mentioned that any discipline is handled inhouse.
What Sumlin didn’t say might be an indication of his thoughts about the over hype of Johnny Football.
Sumlin was asked six specific questions about Manziel and one follow-up during his stint in the print media room in Hoover, and the coach mentioned him by name just once.
His only first-person reference came when a reporter asked how Manziel could improve. During the course of his answer, Sumlin said “In Johnny’s case, as a young player, his challenge, No. 1, was and still is to get a much better feel for our overall package and to think like a coach on the field, to be able to anticipate and see the game for what it really is.”
Manziel, who claimed the stir surrounding him will not impact his or Texas A&M’s season, jetted off to Los Angeles following his appearance in Hoover, but not before adding, “There’s no more talk after this. Let’s play football.”
Pumping gas
Alabama Coach Nick Saban, noting the media’s record in picking SEC champions has yielded just four correct choices in the last 21 years, gigged the press.
“If I was 4-17 in the last 21 seasons, I’d be back in West Virginia pumping gas at my daddy’s gas station,” Saban said during his appearance at SEC media days.
Razz Zach
LSU plays on the road at Georgia this season, meaning Tigers quarterback Zach Mettenberger, a native of Watkinsville, Ga., native who was on the Bulldogs roster as freshman, will be going back home.
“They’re all going to be like ‘Yea Zach!” Mettenberger said jokingly when asked what kind of reception he expected at Sanford Stadium on Sept. 28. “No they’re going to boo the crap out of me. I might even get a freaking brick thrown at my head. … It’s still going to be fun to go back home.”
A&M rising
It hasn’t taken Texas A&M long to act like an SEC team. The university has approved plans to move forward on a $450 million renovation to Kyle Field that will take capacity to 102,500, moving it into the top tier in stadium capacity in the country, and just beyond Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium (102,455) for largest in the SEC.
The work is scheduled to begin immediately after the 2013 season and projected to be completed in time for the 2015 season.
In addition, the Aggies are in the midst of completing a $9 million weight room, a $5 million lobby expansion to the football offices and a $12 million nutrition center, making A&M fit right in with the SEC.
Triple 20
Vanderbilt Coach James Franklin touted his 20-20-20 status, saying the Commodores and Notre Dame were the only members of the club.
The triple 20s, per Franklin, are top 20 status on the football field, among academic rankings and in recruiting classes.
DGB catching on
Missouri is hopeful sophomore receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, the nation’s top high school recruit two years ago at Springfield (Mo.) Hillcrest, will carry over his strong finish as a freshman.
Green-Beckham, who picked Missouri over Arkansas, had 28 catches for 395 yards and 5 touchdowns last season, but most of his production came down the stretch against league opponents, when he had 21 receptions for 267 yards and 4 touchdowns in the final five games.
“I thought he did a lot of good things, without question,” Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel said.
” We saw glimpses as the season went on.
He’s a special athlete.
“He’s a great kid, got a great work ethic. He’s a great team player. So all those things I think are going to help him realize his potential.”
Green-Beckham is expected to play more as an outside receiver rather than in the slot.
“We’ve got to get him the football,” Pinkel said.
“We’ve got a lot of other players than can make plays, too, but he’s got to touch the football. The more he touches the football, the better team we’re going to be.”Hill off limits
LSU Coach Les Miles said suspended tailback Jeremy Hill has been separated from his team all summer, following his guilty plea for simple battery following a bar fight in April. Hill had violated terms of his probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor carnal knowledge of a juvenile in January 2012.
Hill faces a probation violation hearing on Aug. 16.
“He’s not been to any team meetings or any workouts and not allowed into our facility,” Miles said.
“That’s very hard on him.”
No ‘Clown’ ing
Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray chose not to stir the pot any further with South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who on Tuesday claimed he saw fear in the eyes of several quarterbacks, including Murray, Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson and Clemson’s Tahj Boyd.
“I’m not worried about it,” Murray said when asked to respond to Clowney’s comments. “I respect the dude. He’s an unbelievable football player.”
Georgia Coach Mark Richt, always one to stress moderation, said he thought Clowney’s comments were a way of having fun and that there’s a place for fun in college football.
Stay away
LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger explained why he isn’t a devotee of Twitter.
“You could have a million tweets about loving God or the charity work you do, but you let one slip, whether it’s an F-bomb or a picture of you with a beer in your hand, and that’s all people want to talk about. … It’s all about being smart and knowing what you’re doing.”
It’s No. 2
Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley, who tipped the pass which was caught short of the goal line by Georgia’s Chris Conley, leading to the expiration of the clock in Alabama’s 32-28 SEC championship game victory, called that play the second biggest of his career.
“My first is when I caught my first interception against Florida and ran it back my freshman year, Mosley said.
Saban speak
“For me, personally, it’s perfect. I had a great vacation, then I get the opportunity to come here and see 1,200 of my very closest friends all at the same time. So we appreciate that.” - Alabama Coach Nick Saban
Freakish speed
South Carolina receiver Bruce Ellington watched teammate Jadeveon Clowney, a 270-pound defensive end, run the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds earlier this week.
“I thought, ‘That’s kind of freakish for a guy that big to be running that fast,’” Ellington said. “I think anything he puts his mind to, he can do.”
Clowney, a first-team All-American, won an ESPY award for play of the year on Wednesday night for his hit on a Michigan running back which knocked the runner’s helmet off and forced a fumble that Clowney recovered.
Ellington said he’s run the 40 in 4.34 seconds.
Big crowd
SEC officials announced media days attendance at 1,239, a record for the event.
The previous high was 1,085 media credentials issued last year.
A record 243 media members participated in preseason All-SEC voting.
Sports, Pages 30 on 07/21/2013