Texas A&M continues to do everything except exert common sense concerning Johnny Football.
On Monday, Aggies athletic director Eric Hyman issued an edict to the media, barring any member of the football team to talk about quarterback Johnny Manziel.
"The focus of our coaches and student-athletes is solely on preparing for Rice this Saturday," Hyman sent in a statement to the media, "and in the best interests of Texas A&M and the 100-plus student-athletes on the team, I have instructed Coach Sumlin, his staff and our student-athletes to refrain from commenting on or answering questions regarding the status of our starting quarterback, Johnny Manziel."
As Deadspin.com noted, Hyman used the term, "starting quarterback" when referring to the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
The NCAA has been investigating whether Manziel, who will be a sophomore this fall, broke rules by allegedly receiving thousands of dollars for signing items for sports memorabilia brokers in three states.
According to the Austin American Statesman, the Aggies released a depth chart earlier Monday with Manziel atop the depth chart at quarterback. The date of the depth chart, however, was Friday.
Last week, Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp told reporters he believed Manziel was innocent of accepting payment for signing autographs.
I think that it's time that we, once we knew what the facts are and we know the facts ... and I've seen what everybody else has seen now, and the rest of the country is going to get to see that before it's over with. It was a bunch of hype journalism," Sharp said. "I've seen things that other folks can't see. And it didn't happen. It did not happen."
Sharp and the entire Texas A&M community must be pretty confident that Manziel will not be suspended because they keep claiming his innocence before the NCAA has been been able to complete its investigation. And it appears they intend to start him in the season opener Saturday against Rice.
Under an ongoing NCAA investigation, common sense would suggest that Texas A&M might hold him out on the chance that if he is found guilty, his presence would cost the Aggies more wins later.
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