It’s getting late in the college football season, and we’re reaching that point again where pundits and columnists (sadly, myself included) begin to fixate on breaking down the final stretch of the Heisman-trophy race. This is the time when players have to separate themselves from the pack in an attempt to transcend the sport.
Last season fans here in Madison had high hopes for Montee Ball’s candidacy, but to be honest, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III wrapped up the stiff-arm trophy weeks in advance after leading the Bears to a thrilling 45-38 victory over then-No. 5 Oklahoma.
Earlier this year, West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith was the leader of the pack after throwing for 656 yards and eight touchdowns in a 70-63 romp over Baylor, but his numbers have tailed off significantly since then. Smith’s loss is the rest of the field’s gain.
After accounting for over 2,700 total yards and 31 touchdowns (12 passing, 19 rushing), Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein has held the reins for the last several weeks. But Klein is lacking in that “Heisman moment”—that season-defining play or game that voters can definitively look back to and say, “Right there—that’s where he proved he is the nation’s most outstanding player.”
Sure, he has led the Wildcats to an undefeated season thus far with impressive wins over Oklahoma, West Virginia and Texas Tech, but he just doesn’t jump off the page as the season’s most impressive player.
The guy who does fit that mold, and should currently be atop Heisman rankings everywhere, is Texas A&M redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel. Yes, you read that correctly—freshman—as in, never played on a college football field before this season.
What Manziel lacks in experience, he makes up for in excellence, but realistically what are his chances of becoming the first freshman Heisman winner in the award’s 77-year history?
Does he have the numbers? For sure—2,780 passing yards and 18 touchdowns along with 1,014 rushing yards and 15 more touchdowns looks pretty good to me. Does he have a snappy moniker to help make him a household name? You betcha—it doesn’t get much better than “Johnny Football.”
Okay, but does he have his “Heisman Moment”? Check—in the Aggies’ monumental 29-24 road upset over No. 1 Alabama Saturday, the Kerrville, Texas native passed for 253 yards and two touchdowns while running for 92 more yards against the nation’s top overall defense.
Heisman voters typically look down on freshmen, preferring instead to reward players who have been outstanding over their careers, instead of just one season.
In 2004, Oklahoma freshman Adrian Peterson ran for an incredible 1,925 yards, but even that wasn’t enough to overtake USC quarterback Matt Leinart, despite the fact he had a relatively average statistical season.
Peterson finished second and came closer than any freshman to taking home the Heisman, but Manziel may have a real opportunity to do one better.
This season Texas A&M has earned an 8-2 record and a No. 8 ranking in the current BCS standings, with its only losses coming to two fellow top-10 teams, Florida and LSU.
The Aggies are 18th in the nation in passing yards per game (302.7) and fourth in average points per game (43.1). Manziel himself currently leads the NCAA in total offense (3794 total yards) and averages just over 379 yards per game. Did I mention this guy is a freshman, who plays in the SEC?
That said, Manziel would likely find it difficult to impress the Heisman voters any further. His only two remaining games—against Sam Houston State and Missouri—will likely serve as easy wins where he can pad his already impressive stats, but they won’t give him the opportunity to play top competition.
With two weeks to go in the regular season, it’s still possible another player overtakes Manziel—maybe Klein thrills voters with a big win over Texas, or Oregon running back Kenjon Barner runs for 300 yards against Stanford. But as of right now, if anyone else wants to take home the Heisman, he's going to have to go through Johnny Football.
Who do you think is the favorite to win the Heisman? Let Matt know at sports@dailycardinal.com.
