Johnny Update: Manziel getting a grip on the playbook, new CFL footballs

Johnny Manziel is throwing it back to his Texas A&M University days to get comfortable in head coach June Jones’ offence.

“I didn’t think June would run the same stuff that he did when he was at SMU [Southern Methodist University] or Hawaii. The fact that it does revert back to my college days and some schemes that I’m familiar with, it’s getting back to some of the basics that I learned and ran when I was at A&M,” Manziel said.

Manziel, like all CFL quarterbacks, is getting used to a new football. The Heisman Trophy winner was used to throwing NFL balls in recent years, but fortunately for him the fresh CFL version is the same leather and size as the NFL ball with the laces, stripes and other markings of the old CFL ball remaining.

“It’s taken me four or five days to have a good feel of the ball in my hand. I don’t like a really new out of the wrapper ball, I like an older, more beat up, smoother ball. I’m definitely getting a couple blisters on my hand from these laces. The biggest difference is gripping and feeling that ball coming out of your hand. I haven’t been able to feel that comfort zone like I have with an NFL ball, it gets a little sticky,” Manziel said.

“I’m big on being comfortable with the football in your hand, it’s easier to trust your mechanics if you have a good grip of it and you’re not worried about it slipping out. How much you can really get off the flick of your fingers is different when you can really grip it.”