Johnny Manziel on Arch Manning: ‘He’s gonna get everybody’s best shot’
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Johnny Manziel bleeds Texas A&M maroon, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not keeping tabs on what’s happening with the team in burnt orange.
Manziel, on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday, gave his take on Arch Manning and how the heralded Texas quarterback will do in his first season as the program’s starter under center.
“I think he’s going to live somewhere in the top three of the SEC play when it’s all said and done,” Manziel said. “I think with the people that he’s had around him, the way that he was raised, the way that he’s grown up, I think he’s prepared for what he is getting himself into.”
Even though Manning comes from a strong pedigree, that doesn’t mean that it will be an easy road for him, Manziel added.
“When it comes down to it, it is SEC football,” he said. “They are going to scheme for him, they are going to be prepared for him, they know what kind of quarterback he is. So you’re getting everybody’s best shot.”
While the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner didn’t go as far as to say that Manning would be the one taking home the award at the end of the season, he doesn’t necessarily think it’s out of the question.
“It’s tough to pick anybody that’s going to walk across the stage in New York in August. It’s really hard, and it’s almost better to not be the guy with the best odds going into it, because I can look back throughout the years, the odds-on favorite going into the season really hasn’t ever been the winner when it’s all said and done,” Manziel said.
“But he has the opportunity with the schedule, he has the opportunity with the conference, to do everything that he needs to do to be in New York.”
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
