Thankfully someone stood up to Johnny Manziel

Johnny Manziel did not incur a penalty for his show me the money hand gesture in celebration of his first touchdown pass Saturday but his reaction to his final TD pass had two consequences a 15 yard penalty and a bench from Texas AM coach Kevin Sumlin.(Photo Thomas Campbell USA TODAY Sports)

Story HighlightsKevin Sumlin reacted publicly to Johnny Manziel on Saturday by calling him outManziel cost the team a 15 yard penalty for tauntingManziel only played the second half and was electric after sitting out for a suspension

SHARECONNECT 211 TWEETCOMMENTEMAILMORE

Given how the Summer of Johnny ended with an impotent NCAA ruling and a university whose chancellor backed him like a rabid Internet message board poster maybe it's no surprise Johnny Manziel acted this way.

Everything he has done and said since the Heisman Trophy has affirmed Manziel's belief that he cannot be touched that he is bigger than the university he represents that he is even above NCAA rules. But everyone answers to someone and Saturday someone finally stood up to Johnny Football.

PREVIOUSLY Manziel issued unsportsmanlike flag criticized on ESPN

GAME STORY Manziel's big half propels AM past Rice

Thank goodness for Texas AM coach Kevin Sumlin.

After everything Manziel has gone through the last few weeks and make no mistake he's very lucky to have been on the field at all Saturday against Rice you'd think maybe just a smidge of humility might have been in order.

Instead after sitting out his NCAA mandated suspension in the first half Manziel returned and threw three touchdowns in the Aggies' 52 31 victory. But he didn't finish the game as Sumlin yanked him after he earned a taunting penalty following a touchdown pass to Mike Evans with 9 48 remaining. That followed Manziel's blatant Show me the Money hand gesture after a touchdown and an apparent air autograph directed toward a Rice player.

SECOND HALF SPOTLIGHT Manziel on the money after suspension

TIMELINE Manziel's wild offseason

Manziel of course was likely responding to trash talk from Rice's players about the autograph controversy that put him in the NCAA's cross hairs this summer. But as Sumlin told the news media after Saturday's game Manziel is going to hear it all year long.

That wasn't very smart. That's why he didn't go back in the game either Sumlin said. You would hope at this point you'd learn something from that. We're still working on that. He wasn't going back in the game no matter what was happening.

It's quite obvious now that Sumlin still has a very immature player on his hands one who is brilliantly talented enough to take Texas AM all the way to a Southeastern Conference title but also one who is just volatile and narcissistic enough to implode on him.

Last SlideNext Slide

Texas AM just wants 12 more games out of Manziel without incident but deep down Sumlin must know that might be too much to ask unless he asserts some control and makes Manziel understand that his actions have consequences. Even if the NCAA is powerless to administer them or fanboys such as Texas AM Chancellor John Sharp enable them.

PREVIOUSLY How Manziel warmed up for suspension

HIGHLIGHTS How the top 25 teams fared

Sharp if you remember said he knew Manziel was innocent of all charges even though he had never asked him about any of the specifics. No concern over why thousands of pieces of memorabilia with Manziel's signature were floating around in cyberspace no need to find out why autograph brokers were telling ESPN they had paid him for those signatures which is against NCAA rules.

Just another member of the Cult of Johnny sending every signal that he can do what he wants when he wants.

I don't have to hear from him Sharp said.

But Saturday showed Manziel has to hear from the guy who controls his playing time. And that guy wasn't too thrilled with the Johnny show against Rice. Everyone loves watching Manziel do his thing he's as captivating a player as the sport has seen in quite some time. But finally an adult showed an interest in teaching him a lesson. You have to wonder why it took this long.

Dan Wolken a national college football reporter for USA TODAY Sports is on Twitter DanWolken.

PHOTOS WEEK 1 HIGHLIGHTS

Last SlideNext Slide

SHARECONNECT 211 TWEETCOMMENTEMAILMORE

Articles Source here