Does Texas A&M Quarterback Kenny Hill Have What It Takes To Be Manziel 2.0?

SteveHolt10 years ago

Last night, Texas A&M and Johnny Manziel played in a football game. Unfortunately for college football fans, it wasn’t the same game.

Manziel has moved on to bigger and better things. His replacement, Kenny Hill, performed spectacularly for the Aggies, shattering school passing records and picking up a victory at South Carolina–where the Gamecocks hadn’t lost a game since 2011.

But being the A&M quarterback means more than just excelling on the field. It means constantly being in the news. It means being shamelessly drunk at all times. It means going to casinos with wads of cash, even though you’re not supposed to have any money. It means getting kicked out of fraternities at your rival school. It means being completely and totally unapologetic for behavior that would make a southern preacher vomit.

So what do we know about Hill?

Hill was passed out alone in a planter full of rocks and plants in front of the restaurant-bar when officers arrived, police said in the arrest report.

When asked who the current president of the United States was, Hill reportedly answered “Bush” and told officers his name was “Kennedy,” authorities said. Police also said Hill was unable to tell them where he was.

“Due to his level of intoxication, he would have been in danger of someone robbing or harming him as he would not have been able to defend himself,” the arresting officer wrote in the report.

Hill was suspended indefinitely, but never ended up missing a game. Manziel potentially profited substantially from autograph signings. He missed the first half of one game. The makings of a protege? Possibly.

That’s good. In the grand scheme of things, Manziel was a positive for college football. He was the anti-Tebow. He was anti-establishment. Johnny was going out and doing everything that college kids do, even though the spotlight was burning brighter on him each day.

His behavior wasn’t atrociously bad. He was endearingly harmless. Not every college football player is supposed to be the stereotypical role model–they’re 18-year-old kids, for Christ’s sake. Manziel showed that to America, in magnificent fashion. He highlighted the absurdity of idolizing college athletes.

Hill definitely has the skills to perform on the field. But his predecessor accomplished the unimaginable in making Texas A&M a destination spot. He made College Station cool. He created the legend of Johnny Football. Will King of The Hill do the same?

Only time will tell. One thing is certain, though. Kenny Hill has big shoes to fill.

Image via College Station Police Department