Only one thing will satisfy Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel: perfection.
In an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Manziel wants to leave an indelible mark at A&M – as if winning a Heisman Trophy weren’t enough.
"My goals are lofty," Manziel said. "I know what I want to achieve. My biggest goal is I want to do something at A&M that will never, ever be done again. Never. I want that Cam Newton-type Auburn season. Every time you look at the Auburn program, that’s the one that will pop up. I want that at A&M."
Manziel came awful close to his goal last season. Besides becoming the first freshman to win the Heisman, Manziel led A&M to an 11-2 record in its first season in the SEC. An upset of No. 1 Alabama and a trouncing of Oklahoma to win the AT&T Cotton Bowl won’t be forgotten soon.
Winning a national championship is the next logical step, according to Manziel.
"If you take it game by game, everything else will take care of itself," Manziel told the Star-Telegram. "You go to the SEC Championship, that’s a huge goal right there. At the end of the day, that’s your appetizer. The big main course is the national championship, and then your coffee and dessert are your accolades that come with that. Ultimately, winning is the only thing that matters."
Just duplicating last season will be difficult for Manziel, let alone topping it. That’s why he’s been working again with quarterback guru George Whitfield, Jr. in San Diego.
Whitfield puts Manziel through passing drills blindfolded, standing in the surf and with a broom waving in his face – all in the quest to make him a better quarterback under pressure.
As skillful as Manziel was last season , he said there’s still room for improvement.
"There’s so much left," Manziel said. "There’s so much time left…If I can get as good as I have from being a freshman to a redshirt freshman to being a redshirt sophomore to where I am today – if I can do that for three more years – I don’t even want to think about it. It’s scary."
Follow Keith Whitmire on Twitter: @Keith_Whitmire
