Getty ImagesLast month, Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to take him the coveted and iconic Heisman Trophy.
Today, the Texas A&M sensation has made a little additional history.
It was announced Thursday that Manziel has been named the recipient of the 2012-13 Manning Award. The Aggies quarterback is the first freshman recipient of the award as well as the first unanimous selection.
The award, named in honor of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning, has been handed out annually since 2004 to the nation’s top quarterback and is the only award that takes a player’s bowl performance into account.
Manziel’s performance in the Cotton Bowl likely sealed the deal, at least the unanimous part, for the redshirt freshman. In the 41-13 flogging of Oklahoma, Manziel accounted for 516 yards of total offense — 287 passing, 229 rushing — and four touchdowns.
In addition to the Heisman Trophy and Manning Award, Manziel was named the winner of the 2012 Davey O’Brien Award as well SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors. He was also the first freshman to be named Associated Press Player of the Year in addition to being named first-team All-American by the AP and FWAA.
Manziel was one of 10 finalists for the award, a list that included USC’s Matt Barkley, Clemson’s Tajh Boyd, Kansas State’s Collin Klein, Northern Illinois’ Jordan Lynch, Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, Alabama’s AJ McCarron, Ohio State’s Braxton Miller, Georgia’s Aaron Murray and West Virginia’s Geno Smith.
Last year’s winner was Baylor Robert Griffin III.
ROLL JOHNNY ROLL
Please stop calling Manziel a freshman. He’s either a sophomore or a redshirt freshman. He is not a true freshman. I don’t why the press has all of a sudden chosen to call him a freshman when this was his second year on the team (*and*, IIRC, he was an early enrollee).
Wheres Teddy “Bear” Bridgewater baby?
Thought he was a true freshman. Who cares?
College athletes have always been identified based on their athletic eligibility. Technically, yes, he’s a “redshirt freshman”. Has he benefitted from being in the program for two years as opposed to just one for a “true freshman”? Of course he has. Has it diminished his performance and accomplishments on the field? Not one bit.
I don’t want this to come across as “hating”, but I’m genuinely interested to see what happens next year when SEC defenses have had an entire off-season to prepare for his type of play. Will they stop or even slow him down? Can he produce the video game numbers he did this year?
Regardless, it’ll be fun watching… unless your favorite team is the one he’s torching
Enjoy this, Aggie fans. He might be a once-in-a-lifetime athlete. We should appreciate him while he’s here, not try to tear down his accomplishments because he plays for someone else. Frankly, as a Gator fan, I’m jealous…
He is going to win many more awards before he is done.
He is indeed a once in a lifetime QB. I am lucky to have watched him play in person 9 times this year.
He does things that nobody, and I mean nobody, can be taught. Head on a swivel, arms flailing, carrying the ball like a loaf of bread, while he tightropes the sideline on the way to another touchdown.
JOHNNY is like a Tim Tebow and Cam Newton all rolled into one. I would love to see him play in person.
I saw some of Johnny’s brilliance in the game at College Station when LSU came to town. LSU’s defense kept his rushing down, but he excelled at times with his mobile passing. “Tough” is what Coach Miles called him. LSU’s takeaways (3 intercepts of Johnny, etc.) gave LSU the victory.
He will never play a full season for A & M again. Injuries will be in his future. Sorry A&M fans.