On the final Texas A&M series of LSU’s 34-10 bludgeoning of the Aggies on Saturday, quarterback Johnny Manziel defeatedly spiked an ill-fated screen pass into the Tiger Stadium turf.
LSU junior defensive tackle Ego Ferguson wrapped Manziel up and patted him on the head, like someone consoling a child who had just lost their favorite toy.
For the second consecutive year, the No. 15 Tigers (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) toyed with Manziel and the high-powered Aggie attack.
“I heard people saying that it’s not the same defense [that beat A&M last year],” said LSU junior defensive tackle Anthony Johnson. “I wish those guys in the NFL now the best, but we’re still an LSU defense. You see who got the W today.”
If Manziel has been the superhero of college football for the last 15 months, it’s now obvious that the Tigers are his archnemeses, ones who are increasingly a step ahead of the foe.
LSU is now the only team to beat the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner twice, the first one to hand him a road loss and the first one to hold him below a 50 percent completion percentage in a game.
In fact, Johnny Football — assuming he’s off to the NFL after this season — will finish his career with a 46 percent completion rate on 97 passes against LSU.
“You’d be lying to yourself if you said Johnny Football isn’t special,” said LSU sophomore cornerback Jalen Mills. “You have to respect that, but we were mad people didn’t give us much chance. We had [stopped him] before.”
Against all other opponents, Manziel averages 9.98 yards per pass attempt. Against LSU, that number plummets to 5.05 per throw.
This year’s shutdown method varied only slightly from last year’s 19-point performance.
Instead of switching from a nickel package to the predominantly 3-2-6 Mustang formation after struggling early — like the Tigers did in 2012 — LSU seamlessly rotated between defensive looks.
Blitzers swarmed on third downs, only to peel back during the next series. Much-maligned LSU linebacker D.J. Welter, in particular, harassed Manziel on several rushes.
The pass rush Manziel so routinely eases away of stayed in front of him as the biting cold of a blustery afternoon rendered his pocket passing erratic.
“It’s not like [LSU] played one defense the whole night,” said Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin. “That’s why you have to give them credit. They were mixing up things and playing man-to-man [and] challenging receivers.”
The passing struggles, combined with six rushes for 21 yards by A&M running backs, left Manziel behind the first-down sticks all game. Texas A&M converted a combined five of 16 third or fourth downs.
Throughout the first half, LSU’s surprising defensive success felt unsustainable. After all, the Tigers entered the game allowing 27 points and more than 400 yards per game through six conference contests.
The Aggie offense that hadn’t scored fewer than 41 points in a game this year and led the SEC in nearly every major offensive category seemed a step away.
Two A&M drives in LSU territory ended on downs, including an 11-play, 89-yard march that was masterful until the Tigers hunkered down inside the 5-yard line.
Manziel’s 51-yard touchdown pass to Derel Walker before halftime appeared to set the stage for the shootout everyone expected.
Instead of resting on an admittedly solid 10-point first-half effort, the LSU defense got mad.
“We had some guys hot about that last touchdown, including myself,” Mills said.
Johnson said the game plan involved physically containing Manziel, but that wasn’t the overall baseline goal against Manziel.
“At halftime, we said they were getting no more,” Johnson said. “That was our expectation for the game — to allow nothing. We gave them that one touchdown.”
LSU coach Les Miles said the second-half shutout — just the second scoreless half of Manziel’s career — wasn’t based on defensive coordinator John Chavis’ adjustments or the scheme itself.
“[Chavis] talked to the defense at halftime and here’s what he said: ‘It’s not the scheme. It’s the great effort and energy of the guys that are playing for LSU on defense,’” Miles said. “He said, ‘You’ve got 30 more minutes, and you’ve got to play just like that.’ Hats off to the defense. They did exactly that.”
The drive chart for A&M’s four second-half series read: Interception, punt, interception, punt.
During those drives, Manziel was 8-for-19 passing with two interceptions while taking a rare sack.
Even as the quarterback’s shot at another Heisman waned, LSU said Manziel’s performance wasn’t the only thing that failed to match expectations.
“Some guys may have been frustrated around him, but he never showed it,” said LSU senior linebacker Lamin Barrow. “… I don’t know what people say about [Manziel], but he doesn’t really talk a lot, act up or lose composure.”
Though his college career is likely ending in two games, the question was omnipresent after the game: What is LSU’s secret to stopping Johnny Manziel?
“I have a personal feeling for that, but I’ll keep that one to myself,” Miles coyly said.
Maybe it’s as simple as lining an LSU defense across from him.
“If I could tell you the plays, I would,” Barrow said. “I can’t give out the secret, because I don’t fully understand it.”
Barrow and the LSU defense may not fully grasp it, but they put the secret on display Saturday for all to see again.
LSU senior quarter back Zach Mettenberger (8) throws a pass Saturday Nov. 23, 2013 during the Tigers' 34-10 victory against Texas A&M in Tiger Stadium.
