Johnny Watch: Day 11
No. 2 on the jersey and No. 2 on the depth chart.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats head coach June Jones said Wednesday that quarterback Johnny Manziel has moved into the spot behind starter Jeremiah Masoli based on Manziel’s performance so far in training camp.
“I think based on what I’ve seen so far, Johnny is No. 2,” Jones said. He’s doing enough good things that I think he would be in there.”
Manziel is competing with Vernon Adams, who has three starts in two CFL seasons and was acquired in a trade with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the off-season, as well as Bryant Moniz and Dane Evans.
Adams was on the field Wednesday for the first time this week as he deals with an upper-body injury but his status for Friday’s opener against the opener remains uncertain.
“He says he’s ready to go but they said last night he was out,” Jones said of Adams.
“I may just hold him out just because he hasn’t practised all week.”
Jones said he hasn’t determined how the playing time will be divided Friday but said each quarterback would get a set number of plays. Masoli could see his time shortened, however, if the first-team offence has some early success.
Manziel took the second team reps in practice on Wednesday, followed by Adams, Moniz, then Evans. Jones says Manziel has made tremendous progress in a short term.
“His footwork has gotten a lot better. When things break down, he’s doing what we ask: he starts to run and stays on his progression and he hits the receiver,” Jones said. “It will be a while before he’s comfortable with all the routes we’re running but he’s coming along fast.”
There is, however, one area in which Manziel has not yet lived up to the expectations of his teammates: his willingness to perform on stage.
While there is no formal “rookie show” — hazing and
initiation has been largely removed from all levels of sports — first-year Ticat players are being encouraged to sing a song or tell a joke before the special teams meeting every evening. Vernon Adams, for example, belted out a tune earlier this week while defensive lineman Lynden Trail did a spot-on impression of an unnamed assistant coach.
Veteran centre in Mike Filer says its all in fun. “It’s anything — you have to entertain the vets,” he said. “My first year in Calgary, we had to stand up and sing in front of everyone, and if you can’t sing, you have to tell a joke, and if you tell a bad joke you get booed off the stage.”
Beyond that minor complaint, Hamilton veterans have been impressed with Manziel’s approach. Receiver Luke Tasker said he’s been good in meetings while also performing well on the field. “The wrong way to come into a team is to have a sense of entitlement, that’s the last thing that a new player should have — or any teammate,” Tasker said. “Johnny doesn’t have a sense of entitlement, he’s a guy trying to learn the offence like a lot of players are.”
Filer says he’s spent time talking with Manziel about the nuances of the CFL game, particularly when it comes to protections and blitz pick up. Again, nothing but positive reviews — at least until he tries his hand at performing.
“It goes back to being part of the locker-room — even if you suck, you bought into it and did your bit,” Filer said. “I’m sure Johnny will get up there at some point. He’s been a great sport.”
NOTES: The Ticats have yet to suffer a significant injury to a veteran player at training camp but there were several players sitting out on Wednesday, including defensive end Adrian Tracy, Canadian receiver
Shamawd Chambers and national safety Jay Langa. They aren’t expected to play Friday night against Toronto but should be ready for Week 1.