While speaking to reporters in Orlando, Manziel sure sounded like a quarterback ready to take on the NFL.

“I feel like I’m playing, for the most part, at a really high level of football,” the Texas A&M quarterback and last year’s Heisman winner said. “I’m putting the ball where I want it to be, and I’m throwing it with a lot of velocity … in my mind, I think I’m (ready).”

Manziel, a finalist for the Heisman again this year — FSU’s Jameis Winston is the expected winner — had another big statistical season. He completed 69.1 percent of his throws for 3,732 yards, 33 TDs and 13 interceptions. His rushing numbers were down. He had 686 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while gaining 5.2 yards per carry.

Last season, Manziel threw for 3,706 yards, completing 68.0 percent of his passes with 26 TDs and nine interceptions. He also ran for 1,410 yards and 21 scores.

The Aggies play Duke in the Dec. 31 Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta. 


NO NEWS FOR BROWN


After 16 seasons, 158 victories and a BCS national title, Mack Brown isn’t ready to step down just yet.

Brown was asked about his future plans at Thursday’s press conference for the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30 alongside Mark Helfrich, head coach at the Longhorns’ opponent, Oregon.

“We’re not here to talk about me,” Brown said. “My situation has not changed.”

Brown added that he would sit down with university president Bill Powers and new athletic director Steve Patterson soon and discuss the future.

He was asked about the possibility of coaching his final game at Texas and didn’t bite.

“I said we wouldn’t talk about me and the future,” Brown said.

It has been rumored, speculated and rumored since since the Longhorns dropped two in a row to BYU and Ole Miss early in the season that Brown’s days in Austin were numbered. The talk picked up this week with reports that Brown was expected to step down by the end of this week.

If the Texas position opens, focus turns to which coach steps into the biggest job in college football.

Alabama coach Nick Saban has been the center of discussion since it was reported in September that his agent, Jimmy Sexton, met with a current and former Texas regent after the Crimson Tide won last season’s BCS championship.

Saban has repeatedly denied interest in the Texas job, in large part because there hasn’t been an opening to discuss.


TEXAS TECH QB TRANSFERRING


Texas Tech quarterback Baker Mayfield is leaving the school after throwing for 2,315 yards and 12 touchdowns as a freshman.

Mayfield, the first walk-on freshman quarterback to start a game for an FBS school, was named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year earlier this week.

The San Antonio News-Express reported that Mayfield’s decision came after he found out that Michael Brewer would start the Red Raiders’ matchup against Arizona State in the Dec. 30 Holiday Bowl.

“I’m disappointed because I love Lubbock,” Mayfield told the Austin American-Statesman. “I’m thankful for the opportunity they gave me and everything that Lubbock has done for me, but it’s time for me to move on and start over.”

Mayfield played in eight of 12 games, but told ESPN.com’s Joe Schad that he’s transferring because of a miscommunication with the coaching staff. He won’t be allowed to go to another Big 12 school.

Mayfield started Texas Tech’s first five games of the season, but a knee injury sidelined him until the final three games. He completed 218 of 340 passes.

Davis Webb started when Mayfield was injured and was 198 of 320 for 2,315 yards as well, 16 TDs and nine interceptions.

Brewer was 7 of 10 for 65 yards and a touchdown.


NEBRASKA CHARTER CANCELED


Low demand has led to the cancellation of a charter flight that had been lined up to take Nebraska fans to Jacksonville, Fla., for the Gator Bowl.

The Lincoln Journal Star reported that Pennsylvania-based Collegiate Athletics canceled the Southwest Airlines 137-seat charter that was to fly travelers who booked through Executive Travel of Lincoln, AAA Nebraska and Allied Tour & Travel of Norfolk.

Executive Travel's Steve Glenn said it's the first time in 27 years that he's had a charter to a bowl game canceled.

Nebraska is playing 23rd-ranked Georgia for the second straight year in a bowl game. Last year Georgia beat the Huskers 45-31 in the Capital One Bowl.

Contributors: Ken Bradley, The Associated Press