Manziel & Aggies Impress The Bearkats
9/8/2013 7:34:00 AM | Football
The Bearkats won't argue with anyone about No. 7 Texas A&M's FBS national ranking or the fact the quarterback Johnny Manziel more national awards in his site.
Led by the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner, the Aggies rolled up a school record 500 yards passing and 714 yards total offense in Saturday's 65-28 victory over Sam Houston.
“Texas A&M is very good,” SHSU head coach Willie Fritz said. “They have one the best offenses I've ever seen.”
Manziel completed 29 of 42 attempts for 426 yards and three touchdowns.
“We could not stop them,” Fritz said. “We talked all week about staying over the top of them defensively and we didn't do that. There is a reason why Manziel won the Heisman trophy. That's a huge offensive line compared to last year. They were physical and knocked us off the ball. They are a very good ball club.”
Sam Houston State produced some offense of its own.
Walter Payton Award candidate Timothy Flanders rushed 19 times for 170 yards and two touchdowns including a scoring run of 68 yards. Flanders also caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brian Bell.
“The score really didn't tell how we played the whole game,” Flanders said. “We played pretty well for the most part except for a couple turnovers. Going up against an offense like that with a reigning Heisman winner, you have to get a lot of first downs.”
Despite the yardage and the points by one of the nation's top FBS programs, the Bearkat defense had its moments.
Linebacker Eric Fieilo and defensive back Johntel Franklin each totaled 11 tackles. Fieilo intercepted a Manziel pass in the first quarter and returned it 12 yards.
All-Southland Conference cornerback Bookie Sneed added nine tackles.
“You know Manziel is going to scramble around and make plays with his feet,” Sneed said. “Even though he only had 36 rushing yards, he had more than 400 passing yards. We should have done a better job defensively as far as containing him in coverage. We have to do a better job of getting off the field.”
Despite Manziel and his receivers' accomplishments, Sam Houston hung in with the Aggies for more than a half.
Flanders' 68-yard scoring run cut the Aggie margin to 30-21 with 14:04 to play in the third quarter.
“We were in it at that point of the game,” quarterback Brian Bell said. “But we had a penalty and a turnover. When adversity strikes you have to find a way to hold the rope and cut the bleeding off and persevere. We felt like we could play with them but it slipped away toward the end of the game. We were competing the whole time.”
Sam Houston now returns to Elliott T. Bowers Stadium where the Bearkats begin a four-game home stand this Saturday playing Texas Southern in a 2 p.m. game presented by The Huntsville Item.
“We saw some good things offensively and from the kicking team,” Fritz said. “A&M is a very well-coached team with talented athletes. We're going to watch the tape and see where we can improve. When you are playing a very talented team like this you have to bring you're 'A game' and be physical.”
Tickets for all six remaining Sam Houston home games at Bowers as well as the 88th “Battle of the Piney Woods” with SFA at Reliant Stadium Nov. 2 are available now online at www.gobearkats.com .
Tickets also may be purchased at the SHSU athletic ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone is (936) 294-1729.
