Manziel: no date to decide future

Published 2:30 am Friday, November 29, 2013

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin says he doesn’t know when Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel will decide whether to enter the 2014 NFL draft.

A report this weekend said that Sumlin said that the redshirt sophomore quarterback would make a decision on his future before Texas A&M’s bowl game.

On Tuesday, Sumlin said his comments were misconstrued.

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“I didn’t say that he’s going to make a decision before the bowl game is played,” Sumlin said. “I never said that.”

He said he and his staff will gather information on Manziel and other Aggies who are eligible for early entry into the draft after the regular season ends on Saturday to help them make their decisions when the time is right.

“We’ll have an analysis by the NFL, I’ll talk to some different people and what I try to do is give our guys as much factual information that I can gather from the NFL specifically instead of what’s being said on television or on blogs and things like that,” Sumlin said. “That’s my job as a coach to give them as much information as I can so they can make the best decision for them and their family.”

Manziel has refused to discuss his plans, saying he’s focused on his remaining games this season. But most believe that he will enter the draft after two stellar seasons in College Station.

Manziel has thrown for 3,537 yards and 32 touchdowns and ran for 665 yards and eight more scores for No. 19 Texas A&M this season. He became the first freshman to win the Heisman last year, setting numerous school and Southeastern Conference records while leading Texas A&M to an 11-2 mark and a victory over No. 1 Alabama in its first season in the SEC.

Sumlin encourages players to take their time with the decision and noted that Damontre Moore, one of his players who declared early for the draft last season, did it before the bowl game, and Luke Joeckel made his decision after the game.

“Everybody’s different,” Sumlin said. “You’ve got time.”