When I look at this season's three Heisman Trophy candidates I have trouble picking out a front runner. I know that all the big networks are expecting the first-ever freshman in Johnny Manziel to win it. I can see that but I am still going to break each of the three finalists down and tell you our picks to win it.
Johnny Manziel, Freshman, Quarterback, Texas A&M:
Let's take a look at what could be the first freshman to win the most sought after award in college football. There is no doubt that Manziel has had a spectacular redshirt-freshman season and deserves all the attention he has received. For a freshman to finish the season with a 155.9 quarterback rating is unreal. That qb rating ranked him 17th in the country behind some excellent quarterbacks and was just one place behind the other quarterback finalist Kansas State's Collin Kline. As far a passing yards he was just 81 yards from a 3,500 yard season with 3,419 on the season which was No. 16 in the country. Manziel also threw for 24 touchdowns and just eight interceptions which is a 3-1 ratio, not bad for a freshman. He also completed 68.3 percent of his passes in 2012. Although his passing numbers were outstanding his rushing numbers are what have really put him at the top of this race. He ran for 1,181 yards and 19 touchdowns on the season. He averaged an astonishing 6.4 yards per carry which is better than eight of the top 10 rushers in the country this season. With a total of 4,600 offensive yards during the season he set the SEC total offense record. His unreal numbers helped his team to top-15 marks in both passing yards (No. 14, 317.3 ypg) and rushing yards (no. 13, 235.1 ypg). With his 43 total touchdowns he accounted for 258 points this season which was the second-most in the country averaging just over three touchdowns per contest at 21.5 points per game. He also helped his team to the No. 3 scoring offense in the country averaging 44.8 points per game.
Manziel's individual numbers were pretty remarkable, but his effort turning this Aggie team from a 7-6 squad in 2011 to a 10-2 squad in 2012 is another impressive stat about this freshman signal caller. Manziel and the Aggies biggest win of the season came against then No. 1 Alabama in Bryant-Denny. Manziel led his Aggies into one of the toughest places to play in the country and knocked off the undefeated Tide which was cruising its way to its second-consecutive National Championship game. Manziel put a Heisman worthy performance throwing for 253 yards and two touchdowns on 24-of-31 passing. He also ran for 92 yards on 18 carries. The Alabama win was huge for his Heisman campaign, but that was the Aggies only major win. Their only other top-25 victory came against Louisiana Tech, 59-57. Louisiana Tech was a pretty solid team this season, but had absolutely no defense and the Aggies won a thriller and Manziel went off. He threw for 395 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. What was most impressive about his performance is he ran for 181 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries, including a 72 scamper for a touchdown. The Aggies only two losses this season came at the hands of two teams that ended up in the BCS top 10 by a combined eight points. They lost an early season heartbreaker to then No. 24 Florida 20-17 and lost another home game against then No. 6 LSU 24-19. In my book those two losses are excusable, however, I still think when handing out the most prestigious award in college football the players team record also needs to play a factor. No doubt the Aggies had one of the best seasons in the SEC, but the next two finalists led their teams to better records.
Prior to Saturday's Heisman selection Manziel won the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback award.
Manti Te'o, Senior, Linebacker, Notre Dame:
Te'o will leave Notre Dame as one of the most decorated players in its history and that is saying something. If Te'o wins the Heisman Trophy on Saturday he will be the most decorated in NCAA history. There is no doubt that he deserves the award. Te'o is a the key contributor on arguably the best defense in the country for the Irish. I have no problem saying without their defense playing at such a high level the Irish would not have made their way to the National Championship. Te'o led the Irish defense in total tackles with 103 including 52 unassisted. His 100-tackle performance in 2012 is his third-consecutive season with 100 or more tackles. He also recorded 1.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. His most impressive stat for a linebacker is his seven interceptions which tied for No. 2 in the country this season. It is very rare to see such a great tackling linebacker able to cover so well and be in the right place to make picks like that. Te'o had an exceptional individual season, but he helped the Irish defense to a top 25 ranking in seven separate categories. The Notre Dame defense's most impressive stats were the No. 1 scoring defense that allowed just 10.33 points per game followed by its No. 3 ranked redzone defense that allowed just 95 redzone points. The Irish allowed just two redzone rushing touchdowns and six passing touchdowns. The two redzone rushing touchdowns was the best mark in the country this season. It helps when you have a tank like Te'o clogging the middle stopping opposing rushers from crossing the goal line.The Irish scoring defense is really what has helped them make the National Championship but it also helps having the No. 6 total defense in the country allowing 286.83 yards per game, along with the No. 4 rushing defense (92.42 ypg) and the No. 21 pass defense (194.40).
Te'o like Manziel helped lead the resurgence of his team to national prominence. He helped an 8-5 Irish team in 2011 to a undefeated 12-0 record in 2012. He helped lead the Irish to their first-ever BCS National Title appearance and a chance at their first National Championship since 1988. The Irish are looking for their 10th undefeated season in school history and their first BCS National Championship. There is no doubt this team has had some scares along the way but has beat some tough teams and has done it with defense. The Irish beat five teams ranked in the top 25 at the beginning of the season. Notre Dame had two huge wins against teams that finished in the top 12 of the final BCS rankings. The biggest of which came in an overtime thriller against then No. 17 Stanford, when Te'o recorded 11 tackles. His biggest play of the season came in Norman against Oklahoma when he intercepted a Landry Jones pass in the fourth quarter that helped open the door for a 20 point Irish quarter to win 30-13. The Irish also defeated No. 10 Michigan State, No. 18 Michigan and won their final game of the season at preseason No. 1 USC, 22-13 (that was a joke, but that is for another time). No doubt Te'o was the leader on and off the field for the undefeated Irish and if this team wins the National Championship it will be because he makes some big plays in the title game. As I said above, when the Heisman race is so close with no real frontrunner I think you have to look at the players team's record. Te'o unlike Manziel and Kline led his team to an undefeated season and did it from the defensive side of the ball.
Prior to the Heisman selection on Saturday Te'o cleaned up the postseason awards and is looking to become the most decorated player in NCAA history. He won the Maxwell, Walter Camp, Vince Lombardi/Rotary, Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski and Dick Butkus awards. If he wins the Heisman on Saturday there is no doubt he will be the most decorated player in NCAA history and even Notre Dame history, which is one hell of a feat.
Collin Klein, Senior, Quarterback, Kansas State:
Another player that has really led his team back to the promise land. This team looked like it was going to meet the Irish in the National Championship game until a very inexplicable loss to Baylor. That being said, Collin Kline proved himself as one of the best players in the game this season. Kline finished the season with a better quarterback rating than Manziel of 156.1. He threw for less yards, tossing for 2,490 while completing 66.2 percent of his passes. He threw 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions for just over a 2-1 ratio. Not quite as good as Manziel, but his team did not only rely on him like Manziel's did. Klein had a great season on the ground accounting for 890 yards and 22 touchdowns and averaged 4.6 yards per carry. Klein put up 3,380 total yards this season and accounted for 37 touchdowns. He was No. 11 in the country in points responsible for with 222 total averaging 18.50 per game. Klein may not have had the amazing individual numbers Manziel had, but like I said before Klein had other players on his team Manziel was the only thing Texas A&M had. Klein led the Wildcat offense to the No. 10 scoring offense in the country averaging 40.7 points per game. K-State also had the No. 33 ranked rushing attack in the game averaging nearly 200 yards per contest at 198.3 ypg. The Wildcats redzone offense was very stout finishing 26th in the country scoring on 87 percent (59-of-68) of their redzone trips.
Klein was the reason this team was able to put up a 11-1 record and win the Big 12 this season. This team had some huge wins with just one bad loss, which is why it is not playing in the National Title against the Irish. Klein led the Wildcats to their biggest victory of the season against No. 6 Oklahoma in Norman. The 24-19 victory was Klein's least effective game against a top-25 school but he still threw for 149 yards and rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown. I understand those numbers are not spectacular, but it was his fourth quarter touchdown rush that put the Wildcats ahead for good. The Cats took down Kansas and Iowa State, before traveling to Morgantown for what then was a major matchup against No. 13 West Virginia. Klein and the Wildcats had their official coming out party on the (overrated) Mountaineers. No matter it being overrated for not, WVU did not even show up for this game and allowed Klein to go off accounting for 364 total yards and seven touchdowns. He passed for three touchdowns and 323 yards as well as rushing for 41 yards and four touchdowns. I know the WVU defense was horrible this season, but still to give up seven touchdowns to one player is pretty bad. The following week Klein and the Wildcats returned home to take on No. 14 Texas Tech and put up 55 points for the second-straight week. Klein passed for 233 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 83 yards and another two touchdowns. It was at this point he was all by himself at the top of the Heisman rankings. Playing their third-consecutive top-25 team in Oklahoma State the next week Klein and the Wildcats beat the Cowboys 44-40. The game that I think lost Klein the Heisman was the 52-24 loss to Baylor in Waco, Texas. Although he accounted for the Wildcats three touchdowns he also threw a season-worst three interceptions in the defeat. K-State rallied to win the final game of the season against No. 18 Texas but could not move up the ranking far enough to make the National Championship and thus I think losing Klein the Heisman. Kansas State still won the Big 12 and is on its way to one of the most intriguing matchups of the BCS bowls against Oregon.
Prior to the Heisman presentation on Saturday, Klein won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for the best senior quarterback in the country.
Our picks for the Heisman Trophy:
After breaking down the three finalists for the Heisman trophy it is still very difficult to pick a winner, but I know I have to. I am going with Manti T'eo from Notre Dame. I chose him because he led the Irish to their first BCS Championship game and their first undefeated season since 1988. Let me get one thing out before I start getting hate mail from A&M fans. Manziel is more than deserving of the award, but there has never been a pure defensive player win the Heisman and this is the year for it. Manziel had an amazing freshman season and I am sure will have three more chances to win the Heisman. My only problem with a freshman winning the award, and I have been saying this since Manziel took the lead in the race, is it took a lot for everyone to give Tim Tebow the Heisman as a sophomore after he scored 56 touchdowns! Also my feeling is that if this trophy is awarded to another offensive player it should become an offensive award. This award is supposed to go to the most outstanding player in the country not just the most outstanding offensive player. Eight times out of 10 this award will go to the best player on the best team and right now T'eo is the best player on the best team. Our Heisman voting went as follows:
Nick:
1-T'eo
2-Manziel
3-Klein
Jeremy:
1-Manziel
2-T'eo
3-Klein
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