Georgia head coach Kirby Smart took a playful jab at former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel during a coaching clinic this weekend, calling the Heisman Trophy winner the “Champion of Fireball.”
During his session at the Nike Coach of the Year Clinic, Smart showed a slideshow featuring Joe Burrow, Bryce Young, Cam Newton, and Manziel. When Smart asked the audience to identify the common thread, the crowd quickly pointed out that all four had won the Heisman Trophy. One audience member, however, asked if they were all champions.
Smart responded with a joke, asking, “Champion of what?” before adding, “Champion of Fireball?” His comment was a clear reference to Manziel’s well-known reputation as a heavy partier during his time at Texas A&M. Manziel, who was arrested during his second year at the school, was also famously suspended for the first half of the 2013 Rice game.
The remark seemed to also play off Manziel’s status as one of college football’s first social media stars, often seen partying with celebrities. However, Smart’s main point was that all four quarterbacks had impressive performances against his defenses.
Manziel notably stunned Smart’s Alabama defense in 2012, passing for 253 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 92 yards in a 29-24 upset win. The following year, Manziel threw for 464 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-42 loss to Alabama. Those performances helped elevate Texas A&M in its first two SEC seasons, with the Aggies winning the Cotton Bowl in 2012, their first 10-win season since 1998. Manziel was later inducted into the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame.
