Toronto Star

Johnny Steeltown

QB gets feet wet at camp with double usual crowd, Masoli offers pointers

- DAN RALPH THE CANADIAN PRESS

Just-signed QB Johnny Manziel, the former NFL first-round pick, took his first reps with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats when training camp opened Sunday.

HAMILTON— Johnny Manziel spent much of the first day of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ training camp as an observer. The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner watched a lot of Sunday’s session a day after signing with the CFL club. The six-foot, 210-pound Manziel threw while working with the five other quarterbac­ks and did short tosses to receivers but knelt off to the side or stood with quarterbac­k coach Dan Morrison during both the one-on-one pass drills and seven-on-seven session at Ron Joyce Stadium.

Ticats head coach June Jones said the slow approach with Manziel was by design.

“That’s because he doesn’t know the terminolog­y, he doesn’t know anything,” Jones said. “Dan was walking through each route as it was called. “But (on Monday) guess what? We’re going to walk in and start taking a couple.”

Manziel, 25, is attending his first pro training camp in three seasons. A 2014 first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns, Manziel was released in March 2016 after posting a 2-6 record over two tumultuous campaigns.

Hamilton’s other quarterbac­ks include starter Jeremiah Masoli, CFL veterans Vernon Adams Jr., and Bryant Moniz along with youngsters Dane Evans and Chris Merchant of the Vanier Cup-champion Western Mustangs.

Jones said the Ticats aren’t waiting for Johnny Football to become familiar with their offensive terminolog­y and schemes.

“He’s got to catch up because we’ve got guys in there and he will,” Jones said. “We have plenty of time in camp. I’d say in 21⁄ 2 weeks he’ll have a handle on everything.”

Manziel admitted Saturday he has plenty to learn about Canadian football. Standing on the field for the first time only served to further drive that point home for the former Texas A&M star.

“Spacing is a little bit different on the defensive side if I had to look at anything,” he said. “On offence, I’ve never ran this many routes that are predicated off of one defender . . . every route has an opportunit­y to break three or four different ways, which is different.

“But I think it gives you the versatilit­y and offensive weapons to be able to attack coverages more intensely than it would just running a fixed route. I know it’s going to take some time but now I see it more so and my expectatio­ns are tempered.”

Masoli showed no signs Sunday of being fazed by Manziel’s presence. In fact, he tried helping the CFL rookie when he had the chance.

“If the organizati­on is going to sign you, you’re here to help us win,” Masoli said. “I’m here to help you get better and just try to be a good teammate.”

Manziel’s arrival in Hamilton has certainly boosted interest in the team. More than 200 fans took in the opening of training camp, which is double the norm.

And Manziel made it clear he plans to be accessible to Ticats supporters. He accommodat­ed every autograph request following practice.

“I plan on spending a lot of time here. I don’t plan on really going anywhere else so it’s definitely important to me,” he said.

“I’ll take care of these guys (fans) like I would if I was anywhere else.”

 ?? PETER POWER/THE CANADIAN PRESS ??
PETER POWER/THE CANADIAN PRESS

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