Johnny Manziel is Getting Ready for Real-Time, Cleveland Browns' Starting Job

Jul 31, 2014 08:16 PM EDT

Johnny Manziel has shown flashes of great athleticism in the first week of training camp, but he has also struggled with some aspects of his new gig with the Cleveland Browns.  

"It's a process for me," Manziel said Thursday, according to ESPN,  in his first media session since camp opened July 26. "It's not something that I should just come in here naturally because I played well in college and just know how to run this offense.

"It's a complete 180 from everything that I've been used to. And it's going to take time. It's a process coming from a spread, air raid system in college to a pro style system that's very unfamiliar [to] me as far as terminology and routes."

Manziel must not be struggling too much though, because new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan says that the starting job is still either his or last year's starter, Brian Hoyer.  Shanahan said neither Manziel nor Hoyer has set themselves apart from the other yet.  

According to the Cleveland Plains Dealer, Shanahan views the two quarterbacks as even right now, even though Hoyer has taken most of the snaps so far.  Shanahan said Manziel will get more snaps as camp goes on, and that he could still win the starting job by the first game of the season.  

Known for his improvisational style while at Texas A&M, Manziel lived and rarely died because of his dynamic play making on the field.  Unfortunately for Manziel, most NFL coaches want to see the plays run exactly right in practice before they are willing to give a young quarterback the reins to the offense.  

Manziel  says he understands how scrimmages are suppose to go, but promises the fans that they will see another side when the real action starts.  

"Always, for me, I've been better in a game situation than I feel I have in practice. But I have to come out here and get better with the reps that I'm getting. That's the main thing, keep getting better, and then when it's time to go out and play football, it's time to play football," Manziel said.