Since we are throwing random crackpot ideas. Here is one Nike set up Adidas/Notre Dame and Manti just was the puppet?
Adidas were the whistle blowers on not only one, but two of Nikes biggest athletes, Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong. Nike waited years to get back at them. They needed to embarrass Adidas and who better to do it to then their bread winner Notre Dame. They picked the likeable talented Mormon kid Manti into believing he was in a relationship with a girl that never existed.
In the meantime Nike/Lance Armstrong knew eventually they would need to come clean on his doping. The only thing that trumps a huge story is to make an even bigger story.
Phil Knight mad at Adidas/Notre Dame for being in the BCS title game over Oregon knew that the time was perfect. They had their fallout guy and Notre Dame was going to pay. They began by leaking out the Lance Armstrong news. Everyone begins to talk about and speculate what is he finally going to admit. As the story of Lance and doping are about to take center stage Nike drop their own Ether on Manti/Notre Dame/Adidas.
Yeah I'm cooking up something crazy. Getting my Ronaiah and Manti story telling on.