Johnny Manziel's High School Coach Comments on QB's Recent Actions

Johnny Manziel’s former high school football coach, Mark Smith, thinks the quarterback is a “different” person than he was as a student at Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas.  

“I really don’t know that guy. I think they’re two different people,” Smith said when comparing the Manziel who has made unfortunate headlines this offseason to the high school version he coached, per Sharon Ko of KENS 5 in San Antonio. “Somehow I wish Johnny could find himself back to being Johnny Manziel.”

Smith said Manziel was admirable off the field as a high schooler, per Ko: “He was a great kid. He had a caring heart, always tried to put his teammates before himself. Was great with kids, particularly special needs kids. He went out of his way to work with the younger youth in the Kerrville area.”

Smith also offered his support to the former Texas A&M star: “I get kind of emotional about it because he's very close to me. He's really a great kid. And it's a shame that he's been categorized like he his. But he's brought that on himself. We're always going to be there for him. We'll continue to love him just like I love the people in my family.”

Despite Smith’s endorsement of the high school Manziel, the Cleveland Browns cut the former first-round pick in March largely because of his behavior off the field. Ko said the quarterback is facing a misdemeanor assault charge and potentially up to a year in jail after he allegedly hit his ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, and threatened to kill her during an altercation.

Ko added that Manziel plans on pleading not guilty, although a Dallas judge told him he must stay away from Crowley and cannot possess any firearms. Manziel appeared in court on Thursday after he was indicted by a grand jury.

Sean Wagner-McGough of CBS Sports noted Crowley's lawyer said the former Brown ruptured her eardrum during the alleged assault. Wagner-McGough also cited a TMZ Sports piece that said Manziel went to three clubs on Friday night after appearing in court on Thursday.

While the alleged assault is the most serious instance of off-field trouble for Manziel, agent Drew Rosenhaus dropped him as a client this offseason, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. He was the second agent to do so since Manziel's 2015 season ended, as Erik Burkhardt dropped him in February, per ESPN.com.

Manziel’s father, Paul Manziel, said in February that he thought his son wouldn’t make it to his 24th birthday (Dec. 6) if he didn’t receive the necessary help, per Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News.

On the field, Manziel won a Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M but is currently a free agent after the Browns released him. He appeared in nine games for Cleveland in 2015 and threw for 1,500 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions.

Manziel was a 3-star recruit while attending Tivy High School, per 247Sports’ composite rankings.