Manziel Named Starter For Season Opener

After struggling in the spring, most observers felt Johnny Manziel wasn't ready to lead the Aggies into the SEC. After dramatic retooling in the offseason, the Kerrville product ended his dramatic turnaround by being named the starter in two weeks against Louisiana Tech.

COLLEGE STATION-Texas A&M head football coach Kevin Sumlin announced today that redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel will be the Aggies' starting quarterback for the season opener against Louisiana Tech, Thursday, Aug. 30 in Shreveport, Louisiana. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. central.

"Johnny has performed the best at this stage and we will proceed until the season opener with him getting the first-team reps," Sumlin said. "My policy is simple really; the best player plays. Competition is a great thing and we need more competition at all of our positions. All of our quarterbacks have competed well, and I expect them to continue to push Johnny."

Manziel (man-ZELL rhymes with yell) hails from Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, where he earned Parade All-America honors as well as being named the National High School Coach Association Football Player of the Year. He earned Texas Associated Press sports editors Player of the Year after a senior season that saw the righthander throw for 3,609 yards on 228-of-347 (65.7%) passing with 45 touchdowns and five interceptions. The 6-1, 200-pound quarterback also carried the ball 170 times for 1,674 yards and 30 touchdowns. He even had one touchdown reception and returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

The quarterback competition is between Manziel, sophomore Jameill Showers from Shoemaker High School in Killeen, sophomore Matt Joeckel from Arlington High School and true freshman Matt Davis who enrolled at Texas A&M in January from Klein Forest High School.