Manziel ‘still learning some things’ after first taste of CFL

HAMILTON — Johnny Football was content with his first action as a Hamilton Tiger-Cat.

Johnny Manziel was 9-of-12 passing for 80 yards in Hamilton’s 36-18 exhibition loss to the Toronto Argonauts at Tim Hortons Field on Friday night. It was not only Manziel’s initial taste of Canadian football but his first game action in over two years.

“I felt like I was able to get in there and handle the situation well, get some completions and get the guys some balls,” Manziel said. “I really wasn’t nervous going into it, I was just kind of going out and letting the ball rip.

“Right now we’re still in preseason so we’ll get a little bit more tailor-made for the team and defence and what they do and scheme against them. I think that’ll help us moving forward.”

Manziel, 25, faced a Toronto defence that was minus most of its starters and Hamilton coach June Jones was very conservative in his play-calling. The six-foot, 210-pound Manziel, who signed with the Ticats two weeks ago, directed five drives (22 plays) and was especially effective throwing on the run.

But Manziel’s biggest complaint was receiving a 22-yard intentional ground penalty in the second half.

“That’s the worst call of the century,” Manziel said. “My whole life I’ve been taught to throw it right at the stick that’s marking the down.

“I thought I got it there, he [official] told me I was about a yard short. That’s the first time I’ve heard of that, that’s new to me.”

So too was running to the locker-room at halftime and being told there still was a final play to run despite the clock having run out.

“I’m still learning some things up here,” he said. “There’s going to be some of those growing pains.”