Rice player comes to Johnny Manziel's defense on Twitter

Scott Gleeson | USA TODAY Sports

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel's return to college football Saturday came with mixed emotions from fans and TV analysts after the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner's electric second-half performance, which included impressive numbers — 97 yards in the air, three touchdown passes — and a benching by his coach, Kevin Sumlin, after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for pointing at the scoreboard after a TD pass in the fourth quarter.

In the end, the scoreboard read 52-31. And the buzz of Johnny Football was undoubtedly back.

After sitting out the first half serving a suspension based on an "inadvertent violation" of NCAA rules, Manziel energized a suspension-depleted Aggies team almost immediately. He found Mike Evans in the end zone for a 23-yard pass on A&M's second drive. Just before that play, Manziel got into it with a Rice defender, appearing to mimic signing an autograph.

After the game, the backlash ensued in light of Manziel's antics. "Lead with your actions and not your sign language. He should learn a lesson from this," college football analyst Jesse Palmer said.

On Twitter, Rice player Nick Elder came to Manziel's defense, claiming he was the one who had an exchange with Manziel.

"@espn I was the one who johnny was talking too. He said 'what's up nick, nice hit.' True story."

Afterward, Manziel retweeted Elder, but later deleted the retweet.