GigEmNation is counting down the top five moments of Texas A&M’s 2012 season this week. No. 5 ...
When Texas A&M traveled to Dallas to take on SMU, redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel made one of the "Wow" plays that makes fans and observers wonder, "How did he do that?" in the third quarter of the Aggies' 48-3 victory. Part of the reason Manziel is nicknamed "Johnny Football" is because of plays like this.
Texas A&M was leading 20-0 and facing third-and-9 at the SMU 42. Manziel dropped back and SMU linebacker Taylor Reed found a hole in the middle of the offensive line, shot the gap and had a clear shot at Manziel and a sack.
Manziel had other ideas. He spun out of the would-be sack and sprinted left as SMU linebacker Ja'Gared Davis sprinted toward him. Before Davis could get there, Manziel leaped off one foot, leaned forward and fired a pass over a leaping Davis. The pass hit senior receiver Kenric McNeal directly on the No. 5 on his jersey and he turned toward the end zone. He sprinted the final 29 yards untouched for the 42-yard touchdown.
It was one of many highlight-worthy plays of the day for Manziel, but it was probably the most impressive, considering how accurate the throw was after he dodged two defenders.
"With Johnny, of course, he's Captain Amazing back there, not getting sacked," senior receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu said after that game. "Johnny Football, Captain Amazing, I'm pretty sure next week we'll have another [nickname] for him. It's a growing legend going on."
Nwachukwu was right. It was a legend that only grew bigger as the season wore on.
