Sumlin: 'Not the time' for Manziel to speak
Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said Johnny Manziel would be permitted to meet with the media at some point, but it won't be this week.
"We feel like right now is not the time," Sumlin said.
Manziel has been under fire for emotional reactions and apparent jawing with Rice players, though one defender said Manziel simply congratuled him for a nice hit.
"I don't think him coming out here saying a word is going to change some people's opinion about who he is," Sumlin said. "... People want to make a story about everything happening on this team."
Sumlin said he will not attempt to completely douse Manziel's fiery on-field demeanor, but the coach is planning to take responsibility to point the redshirt sophomore quarterback's passion in a positive direction.
Sumlin was critical of media "nowhere near that sideline" for painting Manziel in a negative light without knowing details of the QB-coach conversations.
Sumlin said he made two direct statements to Manziel before benching his quarterback in the fourth quarter, but said he could not repeat those words. He wouldn't have accepted a response from Manziel, who also took shots from unknowing media who felt he might've been ignoring Texas A&M's second-year coach.
"He was antsy Saturday," Sumlin said. "What makes him who is ... is passion and emotion."
