Kyle Field Renovation Update: Texas A&M Regent Wants 'the House that Johnny Built' Incorporated in Name
ByTexas A&M University (TAMU) regent Jim Schwertner wants the school's football stadium named the most famous player in recent memory, Johnny Manziel.
According to MySanAntonio.com, Schwertner argued "Kyle Field: the House that Johnny Built" would have a figurative and literal meaning. Manziel put fans in the stands, TV cameras on the sidelines and generated an immense amount of hype around the program in two short years.
"I hope the Aggie Nation will come together and decide that's something they want to do," Schwertner told Brent Zwerneman.
TAMU chancellor John Sharp said the $450 million renovation is "on time and on schedule." The Aggies play their home opener on Sept. 6 against Lamar. The west side is going to be demolished and made over following the 2014 season and the project will be completed in full ahead of the 2015 football season.
The school was able to come up with the funding in two years thanks to an explosion in Manziel's popularity, resulting in attention for the team. He became the first freshman to ever win the Heisman Trophy and led the Aggies to an 11-2 record in 2011, their first season in the SEC. He followed that up with an even better season statistically, but finished as a Heisman runner up. Though the Aggies lost four games, Manziel led the team to bowl game victories in both seasons.
ESPN reported in April that Manziel was seeking to trademark both "Johnny Football" and "the House that Johnny Built." Talking with reporters, Schwertner said he was very serious about seeking to rename the field after Manziel.
"The last person that we all need to thank, and I'm very serious about this, is Johnny Manziel," Schwertner said. "The stars came together. We talked about this project for a long, long time. But none of us were sure how quick we could pay for this project. And because of a young man by the name of Johnny Manziel, we were able to raise all the money in two months. My vision is someday, I hope, the Aggie Nation will come together and decide that we can revise the name of Kyle Field to Kyle Field, the House That Johnny Built."