Johnny Manziel: Road to the Heisman

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Commemorative Edition

Friday, December 7, 2012

johnny manziel:

road to the

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

Friday, December 7, 2012

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

Friday, December 7, 2012

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One for the record books Johnny Manziel headlines a remarkable year for Aggie football

J Eagle photo by Stuart Villanueva

CONTENTS Page 4: Aggie quarterbacks examine Johnny Manziel’s record-setting season Page 5: Former A&M coach Mike Sherman looks back at Manziel’s recruitment Page 6: Follow Manziel’s history, from recruiting to the Heisman, on our timeline Page 8: Bucky Richardson shares his thoughts on the Aggies’ star Page 9: Former A&M assistant coach Tom Rossley discusses watching Manziel in high school and the recruiting process Page 10: Manziel’s grandfather talks Johnny’s athletic feats Page 13: A&M’s lone Heisman winner, John David Crow, reflects on what the award means to him Page 14: Check out some of the best photos of Manziel in action Page 16: Sweet Home Kerrville — the Hill Country town celebrates Manziel’s successes Page 18: The Eagle ranks Manziel’s top 10 plays of the season Page 20: Heisman voters sound off; Twitter buzzes with hype Page 22: The competition: Manti Te’o and Collin Klein Page 24: The 77 Heisman Trophy winners

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DESIGNERS Claire Heathman Robert Premeaux Kim White REPORTERS Larry Bowen Richard Croome David Harris Allen Reed Cassie Smith Cover photo: Johnny Manziel poses at Kyle Field. Eagle photo by Stuart Villanueva.

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ohnny Football: Heisman Trophy winner. It just seems to fit so well that many of us are already resigned to the fact that it will happen.

Everyone for the past two weeks has been saying that Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel should and will win the Heisman. Come Sunday morning, more than likely we’ll be living it. We’ll have college football’s most outstanding player, the first freshman to win the award, and we’ll all reap the benefits.

By RoBeRt Cessna The magical journey that Texas A&M has been on since the football team reported to fall camp will enjoy its final rush, like none any of us have experienced.

Now it won’t be the first time Aggieland’s had a Heisman winner, thanks to John David Crow grabbing the honor in 1957. But for years, maybe even decades, we didn’t know how fortunate it was that Crow won it, becoming the only player to do so for legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. For some, it took a book and a movie to appreciate what the Junction Boys did, as well as what Crow accomplished. He was bigger than life as a player, and as the Heisman Trophy has gained in popularity, Crow’s legacy seemingly has been cherished more and more each year.

Crow has been a great ambassador for the university and all Aggies for more than five decades. Like a fine wine, Crow’s feat has gotten better with age.

You can’t ask for a better guy to wear maroon from the get-go, but back when Crow won it, a lot of people didn’t even know about it until the next day, or even the next week. Those days are gone.

Johnny Manziel scrambles out of the pocket against Sam Houston.

Eagle photo by Stuart Villanueva

Last year, 4.6 million people watched the Heisman Trophy presentation. Thanks to social media, millions more will know if Johnny Football becomes the king of college football, from Kerrville to Kiev and everywhere in between.

The Heisman hype has highlighted one of the most remarkable seasons in school history, and helped to define it. If Manziel wins, he’ll be the face of the program for years, just as Crow has been. It’s an added bonus that Manziel’s only a redshirt freshman. He’ll be back.

A huge difference between when Crow won it and now is the visibility that comes to the player and the school. The publicity A&M has received this week will be multiplied in decades to come because of Manziel. Just think of how many times you’ve heard announcers this year compare him to Florida’s Tim Tebow and Auburn’s Cam Newton. Soon, future Heisman hopefuls will be compared to Manziel. Most of them will fall by the wayside, but what always will remain is Manziel, who could put an exclamation point on the season by winning the Heisman.

This season already has been written and talked about over and over, but if Manziel adds that coveted trophy, the story

•The 78th annual Heisman Memorial Trophy will be awarded Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN. •Check aggiesports.com and follow @aggiesports on Twitter for updates from New York City. will never get old. Journalists and fans always will be trying to find a better way to do justice to the season that was, which will be almost impossible. The facts will suffice when you’re talking about the country’s best player, playing his first season in A&M’s first year in the country’s best conference. That’s tough to top, but it will be fun trying.

And if Alabama beats Notre Dame, as expected, Manziel and the Aggies will have handed the national champions their only loss.

So many events were special on their own. Together, it’s kind of mind-boggling.

R.C. Slocum, the school’s winningest coach, was inducted into College Football’s Hall of Fame on Tuesday night. He had many memorable Saturdays at Kyle Field, and won four conference championships. His teams in the 1990s lost only four home games. Yet he gets giddy talking

about what’s happening now.

“It’s been a fun year,” he said. “I told someone this week — and I really mean this, and I’ve been here 40 years now, involved directly 30 as a coach — and this was the most enjoyable season that I’ve experienced.

And that’s saying a lot, because we had some years that were very meaningful at the time. It’s just been a fun year. Even the two games we lost, it was right down to the last series of the game, what the outcome was going to be. Our players appear to be having fun, and certainly our fans were. To see the excitement of the players and the fans, it’s just great. It’s awesome, and it’s not over yet.”

True, it’s just beginning. Kyle Field will soon be renovated, so something good will get even better. And what Johnny Football and the team have done this season will draw even better players. You can bet somewhere, there’s a junior high player or a Pop Warner footballer who believes he will be the first true freshman to win the Heisman. And there’s no better place for that to happen than Texas A&M. After all, remember 2012?

How could we forget. z Robert Cessna’s email address is robert.cessna@theeagle.com.

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JOHNNY MANZIEL: ROAD TO THE HEISMAN

Friday, December 7, 2012

JohnnyFootball’sforefathers:

Former A&M QBs weigh in on Manziel’s talent, Heisman chances

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By DAVID HARRIS david.harris@theeagle.com

J

ohnny Manziel is a prime example of the evolution of the quarterback position at Texas A&M. Prior to 1960, football was mainly a ground game. When Edd Hargett took over as quarterback in 1966, the Aggies took to the air. Hargett threw for 5,379 yards during his three-year career. He was the first true passing quarterback in Aggieland.

Emory Bellard implemented the wishbone offense in the ’70s, relying more on running quarterbacks. In stepped players such as David Walker and Mike Mosley, who possessed the athleticism of skill play-

ers. During the 1980s, Gary Kubiak and Kevin Murray were true pocket passers, and Murray became the most decorated passer in the school’s history. Following Murray, Bucky Richardson provided toughness and leadership to the position.

In the early 2000s, Reggie McNeal and Stephen McGee, both heralded dual-threat recruits, put up sizeable rushing and passing numbers. When Mike Sherman took over as coach in 2008, the Aggies turned to an uptempo, pass-heavy offense. Jerrod Johnson rewrote the A&M record books, throwing for more than 3,200 yards in 2009.

Two seasons later, Ryan Tannehill broke the same record, throwing for more than 3,700 yards and 29 touchdowns.

MARK FARRIS (1999-2002)

Thoughts on Johnny: “He does stuff that, I’ve been watching football for 30 years, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody do it. The first couple games, I was thinking, ‘This guy’s crazy, there is no way he can last.’ If he can stay healthy, he’ll be pretty hard to stop. It’s pretty amazing.”

On his improvement: “Honestly, I couldn’t see it working in the SEC. He looked great in the first half against Florida but they slowed him down. There were a lot of naysayers. I would have said that can’t work in the SEC. The athletes are too good, he’s too small. I’m sure he’s tired of hearing it. All that stuff has come together for him to make it work. He’s done it for 12 games now.”

Should he win the Heisman? “Him being the freshman is the silliest thing I’ve heard. To me, it makes it more impressive. He’s the most valuable player in college football. To say it isn’t him, you take him off the team, they don’t win 10 games or close to it and that’s the definition of valuable. If he doesn’t win it, they should stop giving the award.”

JEFF GRANGER (1991-1992)

Thoughts on Johnny: “Everything I’ve seen has been amazing. As a former quarterback, he exceeded any expectations I had for not only the position but for the team as well.”

On Johnny’s improvising: “It’s very hard to do unless you’re a gifted athlete and obviously he is. I would imagine that he doesn’t have to think that much when it comes to it, he probably is thinking, ‘Let’s make a play, let’s score a touchdown.’ He’s a great athlete. I enjoy watching him play and seeing what will happen next.”

Should he win the Heisman? “He should be the second Heisman Trophy winner from A&M. No question, hands down. I’m concerned about the unwritten rules about the freshmen. If I had a vote, I’d vote Manziel 1,2,3.”

GARY KUBIAK (1979-1982)

Thoughts on Johnny: “I got a chance to see him last week firsthand [against Missouri] and I left very impressed.

The way he was able to lead his team, and his run-pass combination, is a trait you don’t see from freshmen. He has a bright future in Aggieland.”

JERROD JOHNSON (2007-2010)

Thoughts on Johnny: “I’ve been impressed with the fact that somebody as young as him has handled this. He’s talented, in a great system and all that, but not to have a letdown from week to week, that’s impressive. Sometimes it’s up and down for a young quarterback. For him to string out 12 weeks of focus and play the competition he has, it speaks about him as a person.”

On Manziel eventually breaking his records: “For me, I’m OK with that. If he’s doing that, they’re winning. To see A&M do well, I’ll never fault that. It’s good for A&M. The exposure will be huge for us. As long as the university is getting the credit it deserves, I’m OK if all my records get broken.”

Should he win the Heisman? “I think he should.

The stats, the numbers, there is nobody else you could give it to. I don’t see anybody else. To me, you have to win the Heisman and he went out and won it.”

MIKE MOSLEY (1978-1980)

Thoughts on Johnny: “He’s one of the best I’ve ever seen. You don’t step on a team that goes 6-6 and just turn the team around. He’s as good as I’ve ever seen, especially being so young and taking charge and playing against some of the best teams in the country and showing no panic. He’s the best quarterback to ever play at A&M, if not for the state of Texas.”

Should he win the Heisman? “There’s no doubt. If you’re picking the best player in college football, there’s no doubt.

Who cares that he lost two games?

Manti Te’o is a good player, but I’ll take my 4,600 total yards over a few tackles and a few interceptions. When you’re beating Tim Tebow and Cam Newton’s records, that’s obvious.”

STEPHEN MCGEE (2005-2008) Thoughts on Johnny: “Johnny Football has elevated the play of not just the offense but the entire Texas A&M team. He competes, scores TDs and finds ways to win. He embodies what a football player should be. There isn’t a better player or candidate for the Heisman Trophy.”

Manziel isn’t exclusively a running or passing quarterback. He’s shown, in accumulating 3,419 passing yards and 1,181 rushing yards, that he can do it all.

The redshirt freshman had the greatest statistical season in A&M — and SEC — history. With the quarterback primed to become the school’s second Heisman Trophy winner, we asked 14 former A&M quarterbacks about Manziel’s accomplishments. The overwhelming sentiment is that Manziel will go down as the greatest quarterback to have ever played at A&M and that he should hoist the Heisman hardware on Saturday in New York City.

Kubiak, Mosley, Milstead, Murray, Hargett and Walker photos courtesy of the Cushing Memorial Library. All others are AP and Eagle file photos.

CHARLIE MILSTEAD (1958-1960)

Thoughts on Johnny: “I think it’s fantastic. He’s added a lot to the program. We’re lucky to have him.

It’s unbelievable what he can do as a freshman quarterback. He can’t do anything but get better, and I don’t know how he can get better.”

On his improvement: “It’s been amazing how quickly he’s adapted to the program and how quickly he’s matured as a quarterback.”

Should he win the Heisman?

“There’s never been a freshman to win the Heisman and I don’t think I can speak to that because I’ve never been in the running for it. I would think the best player in the country ought to get it and I think he’s one of the best in the country.”

REGGIE MCNEAL (2002-2005)

Thoughts on Johnny: “He’s an exciting player that’s fun to watch. Every game, he’s going to give you something exciting to look forward to. Watching him play is like nothing else. It’s clear cut who is the best player in the country.”

On his improvement: “He’s improved immensely. At the beginning, he played the game like a high school player — whenever he hit the panic button, it was time to scramble. Watching him go throughout the year, you could see he started trusting his O-line a lot more. Being able to go through his reads and looking more comfortable in the pocket. It was rare he’d sit in the pocket. At first, it was scramble, scramble, run. Then it was scramble, keep your eyes up and, boom, people pop open. Everybody I’ve ever spoken to, that’s a headache to the defense. You do everything right, but because that quarterback is an athlete, it’s a matchup problem.”

Should he win the Heisman? “Of course, man. They need to get off the freshman bias. Mark Ingram won and he was younger than Johnny was. To me, watching football and looking at football, Te’o is a great story and a great player and I understand that. But when you have a quarterback making plays like Johnny has, it’s hard to give it to anybody else. If Johnny doesn’t win it, that’s a robbery.”

KEVIN MURRAY (1983-1986)

Thoughts on Johnny: “It’s pretty apparent he moves better than most. I watched the first conference game live and the thing I’ve noticed that has impressed me most is how Kliff [Kingsbury] and [Kevin] Sumlin have coached him into going through his progressions, hanging in there more and not being so quick to get out when the bullets start flying. He’s just a freshman and still has a ways to go, as to holding his water in the pocket. I thought that game, particularly in the second half, some things down the field he didn’t take advantage of, and that’s part of the maturity process, being thrust into the situation.”

On his improvising skills: “There’s no question about it, his feet are second to none. They’re absolutely amazing, his escapability, the things he does in terms of extending plays, it drives people crazy.

Nobody realizes how fast he is until gameday and you can’t simulate the speed in which he plays the game. Is he reckless? Yes. Unorthodox? Yes. But does he get it done? The numbers speak for themselves.”

Should he win the Heisman? “Of course. You have to give it to him. It has his name on it, and it’s a travesty if he doesn’t get it.”

DAVID WALKER (1974-1977)

Thoughts on Johnny: “You can’t stop this offense and you can’t stop the guy who is running it. This is the best A&M’s ever had. There’s no question. He’s just a combination of so many, that makes him so unique, you can’t put a finger on who he’s like. He’s creating his own persona of what a space-age, new millennium quarterback can look like. He’s just fabulous in every phase of the game. I don’t think we could have a better guy leading our program. And Johnny’s going to take us to brand new heights. My gosh, for three more years, if he stays healthy, and everything stays together, he’s going to be one amazing kid who walks away with every record there is known to man.”

Should he win the Heisman?

“There’s no doubt. If I had a vote, he’d win the Heisman, hands down. I’m kicking myself in the butt for not going to Vegas earlier this year.

He’s had the Heisman moments and he’s had them against the very best.”

BUCKY RICHARDSON (1987-1991)

Thoughts on Johnny: “I was like everyone else — the big questions going into this season were: How would Johnny play?

How would he respond? How would he handle things? Obviously, he’s progressed since the first game of the year against Florida until the last game of the year against Missouri. We’ve all watched his improvement and watched him grow.

“He’s a special kid and these kinds of kids can’t be found everywhere. It’s about how he handles each moment, each game, each third down, each close game. This kind of special doesn’t come around that often. I’m grateful he has an A&M jersey on.”

Should he win the Heisman? “If he doesn’t win it – it’ll be for political reasons. He’s clearly been the best player in college football this year. I went to Texas A&M and, of course, I’m biased, but I really don’t know who else you would give it to. I’d be the first one to tell you that if there was someone else out there who deserved it, give it to that athlete. But I think it’s clear: Johnny should win it. He’s earned it.”

RYAN TANNEHILL (2008-2011)

Thoughts on Johnny: “He’s done a great job this year. He’s an exciting player to watch, he brings a lot of excitement to A&M, and he’s won a lot of football games. He went into Alabama and won on the road against the No. 1 ranked team in the country. You can’t say enough about his competitiveness and the way he plays.

And he’s put up an insane amount of yards and crazy numbers, so I hope he wins the Heisman.”

EDD HARGETT (1966-1968)

Thoughts on Johnny: “The best I’ve seen in a long, long time. I’ve been to the home games. He’s been outstanding. He just has that feel for the game.

When he’s in trouble, he knows how to get out and get away. If you don’t have that instinct, you won’t be a very good quarterback. There aren’t many people that can do it like he can. The good ones, they may not be able to run, but they can move in the pocket.

Should he win the Heisman? “I don’t think there’s anybody better than he is.”

BRANNDON STEWART (1995-1998)

Thoughts on Johnny: “He’s just really fun to watch. It’s obvious the team builds on the confidence and excitement he brings to the game, the fans build off it. Any time you have someone like that that makes such a positive impact, it’s the same with any standout athlete like [Michael] Jordan or [Joe] Montana. Any time they’re on the field, they make big plays, the team feels more confident. You can’t beat having a guy like that on your team. When you have those guys, you have to take advantage of it.”

On his improvement: “The coaches he has, [Kevin] Sumlin and [Kliff] Kingsbury, have done a fantastic job of not crippling him in any way. They’ve got him confident in what he’s doing. They don’t tell him to slide or not run, they tell him to do what he does. They’ve tailored what they’re doing to take advantage of what he’s good at.”

Should he win the Heisman? “Absolutely, it’s not even a question. That’s like saying should Abraham Lincoln win a re-election?”

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

Friday, December 7, 2012

Sherman looks back to Manziel’s early days

ExTrA poinTs Texas A&M player history in Heisman Trophy voting

“I always think a great

By ROBERT CESSNA robert.cessna@theeagle.com

Former Texas A&M football coach Mike Sherman said the day after he was fired in 2011 that he’d help the next coach in “any way I can because I want to see A&M be successful.”

Little did everyone know he already had made Inside a huge contribution by sign- See more about ing Johnny Manziel’s recruiting in Manziel, who h a d p l e d g e d our interview with to Oregon and Tom Rossley /D9 head coach Chip Kelly until Sherman and senior assistant and quarterbacks coach Tom Rossley convinced the recruit he’d look better in maroon. With Manziel now the frontrunner to win the Heisman Trophy, in retrospect it was quite a recruiting coup.

“Chip may never talk to me again,” said Sherman, explaining how Manziel handled his change of heart. “He really respected coach Kelly, and before he could commit to me, he said he’d have to call coach Kelly. He said I’d have to wait. It was such a classy way for him to handle it.”

Sherman didn’t start recruiting Manziel until his junior season.

“Tom Rossley recruited the San Antonio area and he brought tape back of him and we sat down to watch it,” Sherman said. “I said, ‘Is it game tape?’ because I don’t like to watch highlight tape. He said, ‘Yeah, it’s game tape.’

“I watched the tape and he’s throwing touchdowns, running around, doing everything he can to win the football game.”

Sherman was impressed, but decided A&M needed to wait to see how Manziel looked the following year.

“Then his senior year, the same thing happens,” Sherman said. “He starts out in his first four ballgames and he just lights it up, beating teams in San Antonio that are twice the size of his school. He was just putting the team on his back and winning the game. They won games that they really had no right to win, but they won them anyway.”

Sherman was sold on Manziel.

“I always think a great quarterback is someone who makes everybody around him a little bit better,” Sherman said. “I always felt that way

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quarterback is someone who makes everybody around him a little bit better. I always felt that way with [Brett] Favre, I thought he made people around him better. I think Johnny does the same thing.

He makes people around him better.” mike Sherman Former A&M head coach

John Kimbrough

Eagle photos by Stuart Villanueva he’s not really working a lot with the Mike sherman and Tom rossley brought Johnny Manziel to A&M in 2010. ones or the twos, because he’s being redshirted,” Sherman said. “So he’s not even in those situations that with [Brett] Favre, I much. But just watching him on the thought he made peosides when Tom would do quarterple around him better. back drills, I thought his footwork I think Johnny does and his mechanics improved.” the same thing. He Sherman often didn’t see what makes people around Manziel did last season at practice, him better.” but he heard it.

Sherman said he “During the season, we’d always wasn’t comparing Fascrimmage the young guys on the vre, who he coached other field,” Sherman said. “He’d in Green Bay, to Manbe over there. I was always with the ziel. But when Sherones and Tom was over there with man met Manziel for the backups and the twos, trying to the first time, he nodevelop our team. And I’d hear a lot ticed a physical trait of hooping and hollering because that both share.

[Manziel] made some plays, want“I wanted to meet ing to beat the defense. He’s a heck him face-to-face [before offering drills. Sherman said that was a plus of an athlete.” a scholarship] and when I did and for Manziel, as it is for any freshman.

Sherman, now offensive coordinashook his hand, he had a huge hand,” “Just the transition from high tor for the Miami Dolphins, said he Sherman said. “The only hand I’ve school to college, the academics and hasn’twatchedanAggiegamethisseaever shook like that, I think, was the new environment,” he said. “Hav- sonbuthehasseenManzielhighlights.

Favre. He had a size-10-something ing a comfort level in that environ“I think the coaches have done hand, and Johnny’s hands are just ment, I think that plays a big role in a great job with him with his decibig, big hands. And as a quarterback letting a guy have some success.” sion-making,” Sherman said. “He’s you like big hands because you can Since Manziel never played in always been a phenomenal athlete. throw the ball a little bit better with games during the 2011 season it was He throws rockets, he’s always been the stripes.” hard to measure his development, able to do that. I think they’ve really It didn’t take long for Sherman to though Sherman was impressed with helped calm him down in his decisee the recruit close up, as Manziel Manziel’s lateral quickness from the sion-making. I think coach [Kevin] graduated high school early, which start.

Sumlin and coach [Kliff] Kingsbury allowed him to enroll at A&M in “He did some things [in spring ball] have done a great job of working with January 2010 and take part in spring but then once you get into the season, him and molding him.”

Courtesy of Cushing Memorial Library • John Kimbrough (1940): “Jarrin’ John” finished second. The winner: Tom Harmon, running back for Michigan. Kimbrough also won the Southwest region in 1939.

Stats: 611 yards rushing with seven touchdowns. Intercepted five passes on defense.

• Derace Moser (1941): The running back won the Southwest region vote, according to the Heisman website, but is not listed in the top 10. The winner: Bruce Smith, running back for Minnesota.

• John David Crow (1957): Won the Heisman Trophy with 1,183 votes, over Alex Karras, defensive tackle for Iowa, with 693 votes.

Stats: Rushed 129 times for 562 yards and six touchdowns. Passed for five touchdowns, and on defense made five interceptions. Kicked one extra point.

• Darren Lewis (1990): The running back finished ninth. The winner: Ty Detmer, quarterback for BYU. Stats: Rushed 291 times for 1,691 yards and 18 touchdowns. Had nine 100-yard games and two 200-yard games.

• Bucky Richardson (1991): The Aggies’ quarterback finished 10th. The winner: Desmond Howard, receiver/returner for Michigan.

Stats: 79 completions in 156 attempts for 1,492 yards, eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions. 103 rushes for 448 yards and 10 touchdowns.

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

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ExTrA poiNTS Where Johnny Manziel falls in Heisman Trophy trivia

Friday, December 7, 2012

Timeline: From Tivy to Heisman Dec. 13, 2008

Johnny Manziel’s sophomore season at Kerrville Tivy High School ends in a 31-28 loss to Dayton in the Class 4ADivision 2 semifinals in Georgetown. For the season, he rushed for 835 yards on 123 carries with 15 touchdowns. He was 74-of-120 passing for 1,109 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Tivy went 12-3.

Dec. 12, 2009

HErscHEL WaLkEr Courtesy of University of Georgia sports communication • As noted several thousand times in the past month, Johnny Manziel would be the first redshirt freshman to win the Heisman.

• The best any freshman has done in the voting: Adrian Peterson (second in 2004), Michael Vick (third in 1999) and Herschel Walker (third in 1980).

• Johnny Manziel would be the second Johnny to win the Heisman, joining Johnny Rodgers (Nebraska, 1972). Other Johns to win: John Lujack (Notre Dame, 1947), John Lattner (Notre Dame, 1953), John David Crow (Texas A&M, 1957), John Huarte (Notre Dame, 1964) and John Cappelletti (Penn State, 1973).

• Manziel would be the fourth player with a Z in his name to win, joining Vic Janowicz (Ohio State, 1950), Dick Kazmaier (Princeton, 1951) and Mike Rozier (Nebraska, 1983).

• Manziel would be the 31st quarterback to win.

Running backs have won it 41 times and wide receivers four times.

• Manziel would be the second player born in Tyler to win, along with Earl Campbell (1977).

• Manziel would be the eighth player from a Texas school to win, joining Davey O’Brien (TCU, 1938), Doak Walker (SMU, 1948), John David Crow (A&M, 1957), Earl Campbell (Texas, 1977), Andre Ware (Houston, 1989), Ricky Williams (Texas, 1998) and Robert Griffin III (Baylor, 2011).

• Johnny Manziel’s nickname, Johnny Football, would rank among the best of Heisman winners. Other nicknames of note include “The Iron Horse” (Alan Ameche, 1954), Howard “Hopalong” Cassady (1955) and “The Tyler Rose” (Earl Campbell, 1977).

Manziel’s junior season ends with a 31-21 loss to Brenham in the Class 4A-Division 2 semifinals in Georgetown.

For the season, he rushed for 1,529 yards on 232 carries with 33 touchdowns for 9-5 Tivy. He was 211-of-349 Special to The Eagle passing for 2,782 yards with 19 touchJohnny Manziel didn’t just throw the ball for downs and five interceptions. He also KerrvilleTivy.over his three seasons at quarterhad five pass receptions for 159 yards back, Manziel rushed for 4,059 yards. and two touchdowns. He was the San Antonio Express-News’ offensive player of the year and the paper’s athlete of Manziel and his parents make an unthe year. official visit to A&M and watch a 48-16 victory over Louisiana Tech. A&M head coach Mike Sherman spends 90 minutes Manziel was being recruited by some with Manziel after the game. schools as a wide receiver or defensive back. “I don’t want to be known as a running quarterback who can pass,” he told Manziel makes another unofficial visit the Express-News. “I want to be known to A&M and sees the Aggies hold off as a passing quarterback who can run.”

Florida International, 27-20.

Sept. 11-12, 2010

Late 2009/early 2010

Special to The Eagle Johnny Manziel runs away from a Brenham defender in the 2009 Class 4A Division ii state semifinals. touchdowns. He also caught a 22-yard a critical mistake in my life and something touchdown and had an 89-yard kickoff that I had to learn a lot from. It’s somereturn for a touchdown. Tivy went 10-2. thing that had its consequences with coach Sumlin, with my teammates and with everybody here in Aggieland.”

Jan. 18, 2011

After graduating from high school a half year early, Manziel enrolls at A&M along with linebacker Donnie Baggs and offensive lineman Joseph Cheek. Manziel is redshirted for the 2011 season, meaning he’ll have four years of eligiblity left.

Senior Ryan Tannehill’s backup is redshirt freshman Jameill Showers, who appears in four games, attempting five passes Manziel visits Stanford and Oregon Manziel pledges to A&M, saying he and nine carries. on a recruiting trip. Ducks coach Chip also may play baseball for the Aggies.

Kelly offers a scholarship, and Manziel “I think it’s a great fit,” Manziel told the makes an oral pledge to attend. Manziel San Antonio Express-News. “The comfort says he’d consider playing baseball for In the Maroon & White Game, Manziel level at A&M was great. On a scale of 1 the Ducks. completes 13 of 27 passes for 154 yards to 10, it was probably an 11. I couldn’t with a touchdown and interception. Manziel have gotten more comfortable with the ends his first drive with a 63-yard touchcoaches, players and everybody else the Texas A&M offers Manziel a scholar- past three weeks. I’m excited about this down to Ryan Swope. ship to play quarterback. opportunity and feel very blessed.”

Sept. 18-19, 2010

June 27, 2010

Sept. 20, 2010

April 28, 2012

Aug. 30, 2010 Sept. 3, 2010

Nov. 5, 2010

Manziel completes 41 of 75 passes Manziel makes his official visit to A&M. for 503 yards and four touchdowns in a 39-34 victory over San Antonio Madison. A&M assistants Tom Rossley and Manziel’s senior season at Tivy ends Dat Nguyen are in attendance. The with a 48-42 loss to Lake Travis at Hero 75 attempts were a state record.

Stadium in San Antonio in the Class 4ADivision I second round of the playoffs.

For the season, Manziel completed 228 Manziel makes an unofficial visit to of 347 passes for 3,609 yards, 45 touchA&M, watching a 48-7 victory over Ste- downs and five interceptions. He rushed phen F. Austin at Kyle Field. for 1,695 yards on 171 carries with 30

Nov. 19, 2010

Sept. 4-5, 2010

Aug. 15, 2012

Manziel is named A&M’s starting quarterback over Showers. “Johnny has performed the best at this stage, and we will proceed until the season opener with him getting the first-team reps,” A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin said in a press release. “My policy is simple really: The best player plays.”

Sept. 8, 2012

Manziel in his first start leads A&M to a 17-10 halftime lead over Florida, but the Gators rally for a 20-17 victory. Manziel goes 23-of-30 passing for 173 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He rushes for 60 yards on 17 carries with an 11-yard touchdown. Manziel was the first freshman quarterback to start A&M’s Manziel is arrested early in the morning season opener since 1944. after police said he was fighting. A police report states that his friend aimed a racial slur at a Northgate patron and a fight Manziel accounts for 418 yards, a broke out. The disorderly conduct by fighting charge is a Class C misdemeanor and school record for a freshman,in a 48-3 vicis pending in College Station Municipal tory over SMU. Manziel is 20-of-36 passCourt. Class B misdemeanor charges of ing for 294 yards with four touchdowns failure to identify and using a fake driver’s and adds 124 yards rushing on 13 carries license are pending in county court. Cases with touchdown runs of 15 and 48 yards. are set for January. Manziel comments on the arrest in a November press conferSee TIMELINE, Page D7 ence, saying, “It was something that was

June 28, 2012

Sept. 15, 2012

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

Friday, December 7, 2012

Eagle file photo Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel throws a pass against Arkansas during the Aggies’ 58-10 victory. Manziel set the SEC single-game record for total offense with 557 yards, a mark he would eclipse two weeks later against Louisiana Tech.

D7

AP file photo Baylor defensive end Chris McAllister sacks Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein during the third quarter of the Bears’ 52-24 victory over the Wildcats on Nov. 17 in Waco. Klein threw three interceptions in the loss.

Eagle file photo Johnny Manziel talks with teammates on the sideline during the third quarter of A&M’s 59-29 victory over Missouri at Kyle Field on Nov.24.Manziel gained 439 yards against the Tigers to set the SEC mark with 4,600 for the season.

TIMELINE: On same day Baylor beats Klein’s KSU Wildcats, Manziel breaks records Continued from D6

Oct. 20, 2012

15th-ranked Aggies knock off topranked Alabama 29-24. Manziel Manziel, the SEC’s leading rusher, rushes for 92 yards on 18 carries is held to 27 yards on 17 carries in a and is 24-of-31 passing for 253 Manziel tweets that he rescued a 24-19 loss to LSU. He gets sacked yards with two touchdowns and no kitten from the middle of Wellborn three times and throws three ininterceptions. It was the second terceptions. He completes 29 of Road. time in school history that A&M 56 passes for 276 yards, but no defeats a No. 1 team (Oklahoma, touchdowns.

2002). The win lifts A&M from 15th Manziel throws for a school-record in the BCS standings to eighth.

453 yards and three touchdowns in a 58-10 victory over Arkansas at Kyle Manziel dresses up as Scooby Field. Manziel rushes for 104 yards Doo for Halloween, and assorted A&M’s athletic depar tment on 14 carries with a 6-yard touch- photos become an instant hit on launches heisman.aggieathletics. down run. His 557 total yards sets the Internet. com featuring Manziel, saying it isn’t an SEC record, eclipsing 540 set by a campaign for the Heisman Trophy Ole Miss’ Archie Manning in 1969 but rather a source of information and equaled by LSU’s Rohan Davey After running for a touchdown in for fans and the media. in 2001. a 38-13 victory at Mississippi State, Manziel strikes a Superman pose, which draws a 15-yard penalty. ManManziel accounts for 367 yards in Manziel accounts for six touch- ziel later says that one of the players a 47-28 victory over Sam Houston downs in a 59-57 victory over Louisi- he admires is former Auburn quarterState, setting several single-season ana Tech. He has 181 yards rushing back Cam Newton, who often strikes records. He breaks the NCAA freshon 19 carries, including touchdown the Superman pose after scoring. man quarterback rushing record of runs of 2, 15 and 72 yards. He is 1,029 yards by Missouri’s Brad 24-of-40 passing for 395 yards and Smith (2002) and the freshman rethree scores with an interception.

Manziel’s elusiveness helps the cord for total offense of 3,827 yards

Sept. 19, 2012 Sept. 29, 2012

Oct. 31, 2012

Nov. 16, 2012

Nov. 3, 2012

Nov. 17, 2012

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a 59-29 victory over Missouri that gives him an SEC-record 4,600 yards for the season, topping the 4,327 set by Auburn’s Cam Newton in 2010, the same year he won the Heisman Trophy. Manziel adds two rushing touchdowns, giving him 19 for the season, to tie the school record set by Joel Hunt in 1927 and Kansas State quarterback Colmatched by Darren Lewis in 1990 lin Klein, the frontrunner to win the and Jorvorskie Lane in 2006.

Heisman Trophy, struggles in a 5224 loss at Baylor. Klein throws three interceptions and gets sacked twice.

Manziel makes his media debut He rushed for only 39 yards on 17 carries,which allows Manziel to pass in a national teleconference that includes more than 100 reporters and him in most Heisman pundit polls. columnists, according to an A&M official. Manziel didn’t talk to the media during the season because Manziel is named a finalist for Sumlin doesn’t allow freshmen to be the Maxwell Award and the Davey interviewed. He answers questions O’Brien Award. The Maxwell goes to for 55 minutes. the collegiate player of the year and the O’Brien goes to the nation’s top quarterback.

Manziel has his first face-to-face press conference in A&M’s Hagner Auditorium, attracting 75 to 100 loManziel gains 439 total yards in cal and regional media members. set in 2000 by Kentucky’s Jared Lorenzen. He also becomes the fifth player and first freshman in FBS history to pass for at least 3,000 yards and run for at least 1,000 in a season.

Nov. 17, 2012

Nov. 26, 2012

Nov. 19, 2012

Nov. 27, 2012

Nov. 24, 2012

Much of the 30-minute event is carried on ESPN2.

Nov. 28, 2012

Manziel is named a finalist for the Manning Award, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback.

Nov. 30, 2012

Manziel wins the 2012 Chic Harley Award, presented by the Touchdown Club of Columbus (Ohio). The only other Aggie to win it was John David Crow in 1957, the year he won the Heisman.

Dec. 3, 2012

Manziel is invited to the Heisman Trophy presentation in New York City on Saturday, along with Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o and Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein.

Dec. 3, 2012

Manziel is a unanimous choice for Associated Press’ SEC player of the year.

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

D8

Last Aggie nominated weighs in

By KELLY BROWN kelly.brown@theeagle.com

For more than two decades, Bucky Richardson has carried the distinction of being the most famous Texas A&M quarterback — remembered fondly, revered by many.

It’s been his name, playing style and record that recently prompted a few comparisons to A&M’s surprise star Johnny Manziel. The redshirt freshman led the Aggies to a 10-2 season, and is one of three finalists RichaRdson for the coveted Heisman Trophy.

“Johnny is an impressive player and individual,” said Richardson, deflecting mention of his days as a fan-favorite.

“He’s so much fun to watch.”

That’s a description many coaches, teammates and fans once assigned to Richardson.

“I’ve walked in his shoes, was the quarterback there and had success early in my career, but that was long ago,” the 43-yearold said in a telephone interview earlier this week while in New York to watch his former A&M coach, R.C. Slocum, be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. “Many good players have come and gone since. Johnny will stick out to all of us because he’s truly remarkable. Look at what he’s done in one season.”

Responsible for 43 touchdowns this fall, Manziel finished re gular-season play with 3,419 passing yards and 1,181 rushing yards. His total yardage broke the SEC singleseason record, which was set in 2010 by Auburn quarterback and Heisman winner Cam Newton that same year.

Richardson — who closed his college career as the top rushing quarterback in Southwest

Bucky Richardson was the last Aggie to receive votes for the Heisman Trophy. He finished 10th in 1991.

Conference history — was the last A&M quarterback to make a first-team all-conference selection until Manziel this year.

“Johnny’s just getting started, though,” he says. “Johnny Manziel, his teammates and Coach Kevin Sumlin have a special thing going and the focus should be on that — they went into the mighty SEC and just kept winning.

“What I love about hearing this player talk is the first thing out of his mouth typically is him focusing attention on his teammates. That’s a sign of maturity and truly what being a team player is all about. I’m sure that it’s a nice thing for his teammates to hear — that he couldn’t do all this without them.”

Advice he could offer to Manziel, who is 23 years his junior?

“He doesn’t need any counsel from me,” Richardson said.

Some suggestions or lessons, however, can be found in Richardson’s reflections on his own race for the Heisman. He is the last Aggie to receive votes for the award, finishing 10th in 1991.

“It’s a heck of a nice honor just to be talked about in the same breath as a Heisman contender, but it also makes

you continue to want to work hard and try to get better, not disappoint,” he said. “I eventually learned you can’t control everything and there’s no reason to worry about what you can’t control.”

The father of three — who lives in a Houston suburb and co-owns Environmental Improvements, Inc., a water and waste treatment plant — was drafted in the 8th round by the Houston Oilers after graduation. His four-year stint in the NFL included playing with the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs.

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Conversations between the two haven’t drifted into that arena just yet, though. The pair met this season and have spoken a few times, but nothing in-depth.

“Maybe we’ll talk more in the offseason,” Richardson said. “I’m impressed with so many things about Johnny — not just that he’s a great player who can throw the ball, run it and always play with emotion, but he’s tough, mature and has self-awareness. He’s handling all this very well. It’ll be fun to watch where he goes from here.

Go Johnny, go!”

Friday, December 7, 2012

Manziel’s game-by-game statistics for 2012 school comp Florida 23 sMU 20 s. carolina st.15 arkansas 29 ole Miss 17 La. Tech 24 LsU 29 auburn 16 Miss. st.

30 alabama 24 shsU 14 Missouri 32 Totals 273

PassinG att Yds 30 173 36 294 20 174 38 453 26 191 40 395 56 276 23 260 36 311 31 253 20 267 44 372 400 3419

Tds 0 4 3 3 1 3 0 2 0 2 3 3 24

int 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 0 0 0 1 1 8

school Florida sMU s. carolina st. arkansas ole Miss La. Tech LsU auburn Miss. state alabama shsU Missouri Totals

RUshinG carries 17 13 8 14 20 19 17 9 21 18 16 12 184

Yds 60 124 78 104 129 181 27 90 129 92 100 67 1,181

Td 1 2 2 1 1 3 0 3 1 0 2 2 19

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Friday, December 7, 2012

Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

D9

Former QB coach recognized Manziel’s flair

Extra points How Johnny Manziel stacks up against Heisman-winning QBs

By RICHARD CROOME richard.croome@theeagle.com

Tom Rossley pulled the state of Texas card on Johnny Manziel’s parents.

“I kept telling mom and dad, ‘He’s a legend in Texas. You don’t want to let him leave Texas and be a legend somewhere else,’” Rossley said.

Rossley had some catching up to do, though. Manziel had already orally committed to Oregon the June before his senior year.

By then, Manziel’s story was beginning to spread. He accounted for 53 touchdowns as a junior, rushing for 1,529 rossLEY yards and throwing for another 2,782. He led Kerrville Tivy to the Class 4A state semifinals and was named offensive player of the yearbytheSanAntonioExpress-News.

Rossley, who recruited San Antonio and Central Texas during his four years as A&M’s senior assistant/quarterbacks coach under head coach Mike Sherman, got Manziel’s highlight tape from his junior season and visited him in the spring of his junior year.

“I went there to watch him throw, and he was athletic, had a quick release,” said Rossley, who coached Brett Favre, Warren Moon and Matt Hasselbeck. “He could plant his foot, didn’t have to scramble and was accurate, which is something I don’t think he gets enough credit for. I told [Sherman] afterward we had to get him.”

Rossley believed the Aggies still had an opportunity to make Manziel change his mind. He felt convinced that the dual-threat quarterback jumped at Oregon coach Chip Kelly’s offer because Texas schools hadn’t shown much interest in him.

Rossley had one problem: Manziel’s loyalty.

“It was hard for him because he is such a high integrity guy,” Rossley said. “It was difficult for him to decommit.”

Rossley wasn’t about to give up on the player he described as “the best quarterbackIeverrecruited.”TheAggies offered Manziel a scholarship just before the start of his senior season.

Rossley took then-A&M inside line-

CAM NEWTON

Special to The Eagle tom rossley,senior assistant/quarterbacks coach under Mike sherman,helped to recruit Johnny Manziel away from oregon during his senior year. backers coach Dat Nguyen to a TivySan Antonio Madison game not long after the A&M offer.

“Madison had a linebacker Dat was kind of looking at,” Rossley said.

“They warmed up and you wondered how the Kerrville team had a chance.

Madison had so many players. Once the game started [Manziel] wore them out, and by the end of the half they were all dead. Dat was on my side after that.”

And by then, the three-star recruit was beginning to lean toward Rossley and the Aggies.

Manziel attended three straight A&M football games in September, all unofficial visits.

“He kept coming with his mom and dad, and I’d be down there to meet him,” Rossley said. “When he kept coming, I knew we had a chance to flip him. One of the last games he came to, he had an Aggie T-shirt on, and I thought, ‘Now we’re talking.’”

Manziel switched his commitment to A&M a couple days later.

During his senior season at Tivy the legend grew with Manziel piling up unheard-of numbers. He passed for 3,609 yards, ran for 1,695 and accounted for 77 touchdowns to earn a spot on the Parade All-AmericaTeam.

rossley on Manziel’s nFL prospects Former A&M quarterbacks coach Tom Rossley spent 11 years in the NFL. His view on Manziel as an NFL quarterback: “He has huge hands and I can’t tell you how important that is in the NFL. He has a quick release and is a lot more accurate than given credit for. I don’t see his size being a hindrance. He is bigger than Russell Wilson [rookie starter for Seattle Seahawks] and bigger than [New Orleans quarterback] Drew Brees.

I think he can be better.”

“I was enamored with him, a difference maker, special guy,” Rossley said. “Every week he would confirm what I was saying in meetings. On Saturday before we played, coach [Tim] Cassidy would say what our recruits were doing. Every week with the numbers, it was comical.”

The numbers have continued to astound, with Manziel breaking the Southeastern Conference record for total yards with 4,600. That, along with leading A&M to a 10-2 record, has made Manziel a finalist for the

Heisman Trophy.

Manziel’s success doesn’t surprise Rossley at all, even though the former staff redshirted him.

“I knew if Ryan [Tannehill] had gone down early, we would have gone to Johnny,” Rossley said. “We had Tannehill and wanted to save that year [for Manziel]. I don’t know if he’ll have four years now.”

Rossley also recruited A&M backup quarterback Jameill Showers, a sophomore from Killeen Shoemaker who backed up Tannehill last season.

“I told coach [Kevin] Sumlin that Jameill is a pretty passer, a good player,” Rossley said. “But eventually when Johnny gets a shot, you will find out what you got.”

Rossley, who is retired and living in the Hill Country, coached for 39 years. He spent nearly half of his tenure in the NFL, including six years with Green Bay as Favre’s offensive coordinator. He sees a lot of Favre in Manziel, particularly in his ability to extend plays and make things happen when the play breaks down.

“I’ve never seen anyone else [besides Favre] where you say, ‘How did he do that? How did he not give up on the play?’” Rossley said. “He wants to win every play.”

TIM TEBOW

Of dual-threat quarterbacks to win the Heisman in recent years, Manziel ranks second only to Cam Newton in rushing yards and touchdowns.

1. Cam Newton, 2010: 1,473 yards, 20 touchdowns.

2. Johnny Manziel, 2012: 1,181 yards, 19 touchdowns.

3. EricCrouch,2001:1,115yards,18touchdowns.

4. Tim Tebow, 2007: 895 yards, 23 touchdowns.

5. Robert Griffin III, 2011: 699 yards, 10 touchdowns.

Of those quarterbacks in their Heisman-winning years, here’s how Manziel rates in passing stats: 1. Griffin III: 291 completions in 402 attempts (72.4 percent completion rate) for 4,293 yards, 37 touchdowns and six interceptions.

2. Manziel: 273-400 (68.3 percent) for 3,419 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

3. Tebow: 234-350 (66.9 percent) for 3,286 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions.

4. Newton: 185-280 (66.1 percent) for 2,854 yards,30 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

5. Crouch: 105-189 (55.6 percent) for 1510 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Of pure pocket quarterbacks to win the Heisman in recent years, here’s how Manziel compares in passing stats: 1. Sam Bradford, 2008: 328 completions in 483 attempts (67.9 percent completion rate) for 4,720 yards, 50 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

2. Jason White, 2003: 278-451 (61.6 percent) for 3,846 yards, 40 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

3. Manziel, 2012: 273-400 (68.3 percent) for 3,419 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

4. Matt Leinart, 2004: 269-412 (65.3 percent) for 3,322 yards, 33 touchdowns and six interceptions.

5. Troy Smith, 2006: 203-311 (65.3 percent) for 2,542 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions.

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

D10

Friday, December 7, 2012

Making a family proud ‘Big Paul’ Manziel describes his grandson’s childhood, early success

By LARRY BOWEN larry.bowen@theeagle.com

A

ll those years watching the kid do amazing things made “Big Paul” Manziel supremely confident in his grandson. Manziel declared the Texas A&M quarterback a Heisman Trophy candidate months before Johnny Manziel became a finalist for college football’s most prestigious individual award.

To Big Paul’s way of thinking, there isn’t much that Johnny can’t do. Evading Southeastern Conference defenders?

Check. Leading the Aggies to a surprising 10-win season as a redshirt freshman? Check.

Breaking SEC records held by Archie Manning and Cam Newton? Check.

Those accomplishments and many more led to one challenge that has been too much even for the player nicknamed Johnny Football, however.

“All our friends and everybody, they all want an autographed football and this and that,” Paul Manziel said. “We can’t get all that stuff for everybody. When Johnny comes home, sometimes he just wants to lay down and rest. We’re all excited, but it’s really been a little bit overwhelming.”

Paul Manziel lives in Tyler, the city where Johnny was raised before moving to Kerrville during his seventh grade year. Big Paul watched his grandson grow up as a star athlete who enjoyed hunting and fishing. Family photos of Johnny show the tracks of his upbringing, shots of him in football and baseball uniforms, others posing with deer and turkeys that he bagged.

According to his high school baseball coach, Steve Rippee, Johnny could have been drafted had he wanted to play professional baseball. Many of Manziel’s early exploits came in baseball, a sport built upon legends, which lends itself to a grandfather’s recollections of remarkable feats.

“In Little League, he’d knock it over the fence every other time he hit the ball,” Big Paul said. “They had a 4-foot fence that he was knocking the ball over and breaking car windows.

They put a 16-foot fence up, and the first rattle out of the box, he put it over that and broke a window on the other side of the street.”

While those type of feats can be hard to verify, Manziel’s magic moments from his first season with the Aggies are not.

There have been a handful of outrageous plays in which he escaped the clutches of defenders and managed to deliver unexpected passes, many of them thrown across his body, in defiance of common football teachings.

One of the most memorable plays — considered Manziel’s Heisman moment by many — came during A&M’s upset of

“In Little League, he’d knock it over the fence every other time he hit the ball. They had a 4-foot fence that he was knocking the ball over and breaking car windows.”

“Big Paul” Manziel Johnny’s grandfather then-No. 1 Alabama. Manziel avoided a sack, bumped into one of his teammates and bobbled the football, then scrambled to his left and threw back over the middle to wide-open Ryan Swope for a touchdown.

“He played shortstop, and that’s one reason he can throw the ball [as a quarterback] from every angle,” Paul Manziel said.

“Everybody wants to know how he can run to the left and throw to the right. He’s used to throwing the ball upside down, on his head and from every position.

It comes easier to him because that’s what he’s been doing all of his life.”

Big Paul remembers watching Johnny run around in football jerseys and helmets as a little boy. “I think the [Pittsburgh] Steelers was one of his favorite teams,” he said.

Johnny, his parents and his younger sister moved to Kerrville after John Paul Manziel, a home builder, got a contract to build 170 houses in the area, Paul Manziel said. Johnny’s football legend grew in the Hill Country as he twice led Kerrville Tivy to the Class 4A state semifinals.

“It was overwhelming in high school, with all the records he was breaking and the things he was doing,” Paul Manziel said. “People came from all over to watch him play. They drove from San Antonio, from Austin. He was filling up the high school stadiums. He was constantly in the papers in the Hill Country and Austin and San Antonio.”

Despite his success, Manziel wasn’t in high demand among college recruiters from Texas.

Some thought he wasn’t big enough — he’s 6 feet tall and weighs 205 pounds now — and Johnny’s first scholarship offer from a major college program was by Oregon.

Manziel committed to sign with the Ducks, but he later switched his commitment to Texas A&M after getting a scholarship offer from the Aggies. Until then, John Paul Manziel planned to move his wife and daughter to Oregon to be near Johnny during his college career, according to Big Paul.

“He did it to be near his entire family, and we were thrilled,” Paul Manziel said.

The Aggie quarterback was named the SEC freshman of the year and offensive player of the year this week. He was scheduled to attend a college football

awards show in Orlando at midweek and then to be in Manhattan for the Heisman Trophy announcement Saturday night.

The other finalists are Kansas State senior quarterback Collin Klein and Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Te’o.

“Johnny’s doing a lot of traveling and getting all these awards,” Big Paul said. “We don’t get to talk to him very much. He’s staying so busy. He’s still got to go to class and do all his studies. He’s a good student.”

Manziel said his grandson thought about majoring in oil and gas law before choosing business. He says Johnny wants to someday follow in the family business of oil and real estate.

For now, he’s bringing more attention to the Manziel name than any gusher or land deal.

“Everywhere we go, everybody is so proud of him,” Big Paul said. “He’s accomplished so much in one year. He’s broke so many records. We’re proud for him, and of him.”

Photos courtesy of the Manziel family Family photos document Johnny Manziel’s hobbies and athletic interests.

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Friday, December 7, 2012

Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

D11

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D12

Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

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Friday, December 7, 2012

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

Friday, December 7, 2012

John David Crow with his 1957 Heisman Trophy at his home in College Station. Legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant said of Crow, “If he doesn’t win it then they ought to quit giving it.”

D13

Eagle photo by Dave McDermand

‘The biggest thing in Aggie athletics’ John David Crow reflects on his Heisman win, Manziel’s winning ways

By ROBERT CESSNA robert.cessna@theeagle.com

J

ohnny Manziel’s quest to be the second Aggie Heisman Trophy winner has also put the national spotlight on Texas A&M’s John David Crow, who won college football’s most coveted award in 1957.

Back then, Crow just went to New York City and picked up the award with little fanfare. There wasn’t a Heisman Trophy presentation show on television, like last year’s ceremony that was watched by 4.6 million people. There were no straw polls during the regular season and no talk shows debating the contenders’ chances leading up to the announcement. The big season-ending black-tie awards dinner in the 1950s was the Walter Camp Trophy and its All-America team.

Crow said he took his Heisman Trophy home and put it on the shelf. For years, he said, “There wasn’t a word mentioned about it.”

But as the years went by, the Heisman Trophy took on a life of its own, and what Crow accomplished was relived and appreciated. Crow doesn’t remember when they started bringing past winners back for the presentation, but he’s been attending since the 1970s. Crow marvels at the sport’s growth.

He said national exposure for college football when he was growing up was confined to the Saturday and Sunday sports pages. Now with the Internet and social media, college football has a 24/7 platform.

“Every day, they talk about football,” Crow said. “Some of it is the pros, but a lot of it is college.”

And other than talking about who is the No. 1 team, people want to debate the No. 1 player.

That was Crow in 1957. The 6-2, 215-pounder was a two-way standout for the Aggies. He played only seven games in his Heisman season because of injuries. He rushed for 562 yards on 129 carries with six touchdowns. He had five

interceptions. He was a firstround draft pick for the NFL’s Chicago Cardinals, which became the St. Louis Cardinals, and he also played for the San Francisco 49ers. He played 11 seasons, appearing in four Pro Bowls. He had 1,157 carries in his career for 4,963 yards and 38 touchdowns.

But it’s the Heisman that most people remember him for now.

Crow was considered the frontrunner in ’57 after his coach, the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant, said, “If he doesn’t win it they ought to quit giving it.” Manziel also is the frontrunner, earning a lion’s share of attention from the media, something Crow didn’t have to encounter. But if he had, Crow would like to think of himself being somewhat like Johnny Football.

“I’m just so proud of the way Johnny is handling this,” Crow said. “Explaining what if he were to win it, he’s giving credit to his teammates, his coaches and the university. And I’ve tried to do that my whole life.”

The 77-year-old Crow has always praised his teammates, and had a love for Texas A&M. Former A&M head coach Jackie Sherrill brought Crow back to Aggieland as assistant athletic director in 1983.

“I had one of the former players that was John David’s teammate call me,” Sherrill said. “He asked me, ‘Do you know what you are doing in hiring John David? He’s the biggest thing ever in Aggie athletics.’

“I answered, ‘I might not be the smartest person, but I do know that John David belongs here and he will be able to help take care of things.’”

After Sherrill resigned in 1988, Crow became athletic director, and later worked as a fundraiser for A&M until retiring in 2001. He still lives in College Station and frequently attends all types of A&M functions.

Former A&M football coach R.C. Slocum, who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday night in New York City and has been at

A&M four decades, said wherever he goes, Crow is the one person people ask him about.

Crow, who also coached under Bryant at Alabama, returned to Tuscaloosa last month when the Aggies played there. Crow, along with more than 20 Junction Boys who played for Bryant at A&M, were guests at a reunion. Crow was amazed that several people brought their Sports Illustrated from Nov. 9, 1964, that featured Crow on the cover when he was with the St. Louis Cardinals.

They wanted his autograph.

He’ll be giving out a lot more autographs this weekend in New York City, trying to be the best former Heisman Trophy winner possible. He said it’s humbling to consider that each year, only one player representing one university wins the award.

“It means a lot to me to try and portray what I want the award to mean,” Crow said.

“And that’s not just on the field, but off the field. And the things that we do every day should mean something.”

Two years ago, Texas A&M put a statue of Crow in front of the Bright Complex, which also houses a replica of Crow’s Heisman Trophy in the lobby.

Crow’s Heisman and a replica of that campus statue are displayed at Crow’s house in an upstairs room. His wife, Carolyn, has a bright red Christmas scarf on the trophy. Awards, trophies, paintings and pictures are tastefully arranged in the room and a hallway that leads out to a small area at the top of the stairwell that also has mementos of Crow’s life, with a desk in the middle where he pays bills.

A&M would become the 17th school with multiple Heisman Trophy winners if Manziel wins. Crow is excited about the possibility of another Aggie joining him. He’s certainly waited a long time.

“I’ve got grandchildren older than he is,” Crow said. “I just hope that he and all the ones who win it will do all they can to preserve the integrity of the award. I think you have too many young people looking

up to you when you win something like this. I think you owe it to the young people, and the parents of those young people, to display as much integrity and honor as possible. That’s academics, that’s everything.

You gotta sell it all. But most of all, you have to be appreciative of what your teammates helped you do.”

Courtesy of Cushing Memorial Library Right: Crow poses with his Heisman Trophy after receiving it at the awards ceremony in 1957.

Photo courtesy of Hesiman Trust

Eagle photo by Dave McDermand Crow talks about Aggie football and the natural gifts of Johnny Manziel from the office in his College Station home.

theeagle.com • aggiesports.com

Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

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A season of milestones ...

1

Friday, December 7, 2012

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1. Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel breaks past Sam Houston defenders.

2. Manziel lines up with his teammates to sing The Spirit of Aggieland before playing Sam Houston.

3. Manziel runs for big yards against Arkansas.

4. Johnny Manziel celebrates with his teammates after a road win at Southern Methodist University.

5. Manziel warms up before the Aggies’ game at SMU. 6. Manziel scrambles out of the pocket against Arkansas.

7. Manziel warms up as Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin watches before the Aggies’ home game against Missouri.

Eagle photos by Stuart Villanueva

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

Friday, December 7, 2012

D15

... and triumphs 1. Johnny Manziel leaves Missouri defenders in his wake on a big run.

2. Manziel warms up before the Sam Houston State game.

3. Manziel breaks free of SMU defenders.

4. Texas A&M’s Ryan Swope (left) and Manziel celebrate Swope’s 80-yard touchdown reception during the second quarter against Arkansas.

Eagle photos by Stuart Villanueva

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

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Friday, December 7, 2012

Before he was Johnny Football ...

Kerrville residents proudly tell Manziel tales, celebrate his success

By LARRY BOWEN larry.bowen@theeagle.com

K

ERRVILLE — Memories are quickly recalled, captured much more easily than the athlete who produced them, elusive quarterback and hometown hero Johnny Manziel.

Before Manziel became a freshman phenomenon at Texas A&M and the frontrunner to win the Heisman Trophy, he was a superstar in this Hill Country town. Manziel twice led the Kerrville Tivy Antlers to the Class 4A state semifinals, taking football-crazy fans to a new level of madness.

As is the case with most amazing things, many Kerrville residents vividly remember when they discovered Manziel.

“I’ll never forget taking my family down to Antler Stadium on a Sunday in the summer of 2008,” said Todd Bock, who served as Kerrville’s mayor when Manziel played for Tivy. “Unbeknownst to me, they were out there playing backyard football. I noticed a young man throwing, catching and running. I stopped my workout and I sat there and watched this young kid.

I was amazed. I told my wife that is an incredible athlete. Come to find out, it was Johnny.”

Manziel played quarterback three years for Tivy, electrifying a program that had last reached the state semifinals in 1988. Antler Stadium was the place to be on Friday nights, drawing fans from Kerrville and neighboring towns.

Bock calls it the big show, and it even dazzled even the town’s oldtimers.

Pinky Brown played halfback for Tivy in the early 1950s. Brown discussed Manziel’s candidacy and exploits over a cup of coffee at the Hill Country Cafe, which says “Kerrville” not so much with a scream as in a drawl. American and Texas flags are in the high corners of the cozy room, bookends to a painted sign on the wall that reads “A Texas Legend.”

Brown isn’t necessarily a fan of how the game has spread out and gone pass-happy since his playing days, but he couldn’t help but be amazed

by Manziel. His Manziel Moment at Antler Stadium came while watching a Tivy game with his brother, Spencer, a municipal court judge in Kerrville.

“On Friday night, the high school game is the place to go,” Pinky said.

“We were out there one night and [Manziel] crossed the field a couple of times and then turned around and threw the ball across his body and hit this guy right there. It was a 40- or 50-yard pass — choom. Ol’ Spencer was sitting there and he said, ‘I don’t remember it being this easy.’

“We hadn’t seen anybody run like that. The closest I’d ever seen was Jim Swink [former TCU All-American] when I watched him play against Texas in Austin.”

In three seasons as varsity quarterback, Manziel passed for 7,571 yards.

He was named a Parade All-American after his senior season, in which he threw for 3,609 yards and ran for 1,674 while producing 77 touchdowns.

“What you’re seeing him do against Alabama is what we got to watch every week,” Bock said.

The improvisational ability that has wowed college football fans was nurtured at Antler Stadium. Tivy usually operated from a spread formation with four receivers. One of Manziel’s

“What you’re seeing him do against Alabama is what we got to watch every week.”

Todd Bock Former Kerrville mayor

pass targets was Sean Kibbett, who also graduated in 2010 and is currently a student at A&M majoring in sports management.

“Our plays were structured but when it would break down, as you can see now, Johnny can make things happen with his feet and still look downfield for open receivers,” Kibbett said.

“He really was a good teammate. He could get onto everybody, linemen and receivers alike, but it was only because he wanted the best out of us. He wasn’t afraid to admit when he messed up. I like him a lot.”

Putting Kerrville on the map

Kerrville, tucked in the Hill Country northwest of San Antonio and west of Austin, has a population of 22,347. Before Manziel, the town was best known as a tourist spot, the home of the Kerrville Folk Festival and a highly ranked place to retire.

Now? “My wife was talking to an insurance agent in Dallas and he asked where she was from,” Stuart Cunyus said. “When she told him she’s from Kerrville, Texas, the first thing he said was ‘Johnny Football.’”

Cunyus chronicled Manziel’s playing days from junior high through high school, writing stories and taking pictures for the Hill Country Community Journal, a weekly newspaper. Cunyus qualifies as the official Manziel historian, owning thick binders that detail the Kerrville part of Manziel’s story.

Although there are plenty of Aggies in and around Kerrville, Cunyus is not one of them.

“I’m a TCU fan, but right now I’m an Aggie fan,” Cunyus said. “I won’t be in four years, but I am now. I told Johnny I’m going to give him the ultimate compliment because I hate the Aggies. I’m rooting for them as long as he’s there.”

Back at the Hill Country Cafe, a waitress says the six men at a nearby table — the group is known as “the club” — had been talking about Manziel’s photo being on the front page of USA Today in a box on the sidewalk outside the cafe that morning. Members of the club hadn’t noticed the line beside the photo that called Manziel “a kid from Tyler, Texas.”

Manziel lived in Tyler before his family moved to Kerrville when he was a seventh-grader. In Manziel’s case, Kerrville seems to believe more recent possession is nine-tenths of the law.

“He belongs to us,” Tivy High School receptionist Bessie Fifer said.

Fifer sits behind a big semicircle desk in the school’s main office. The counter probably would hold a couple dozen backpacks, except for several of Fifer’s framed photographs, many See HOME, Page D17

Tivy High School attendance coordinator Janie McNeil displays some of Manziel’s clippings.

Eagle photo by Stuart Villanueva Top: Johnny Manziel played football and baseball for Tivy High School in Kerrville.

Special to The Eagle Left: Photographs of Johnny Manziel are displayed on the desktop of Tivy High School receptionist Bessie Fifer (in middle photograph) at the school.

Bottom (left to right): Kerrville native Pinky Brown watched Manziel’s high school years.Todd Bock, former Kerrville mayor, displays an autographed football in his office given to him by Manziel. Manziel family friend and former Tivy radio announcer Jim Muncie shows off his “Go Johnny Go” bumper sticker.

Eagle photos by Stuart Villanueva

theeagle.com • aggiesports.com

Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

Friday, December 7, 2012

D17

HOME: Friends, fans root for Kerrville’s new celebrity Continued from D16 including Manziel.

Maybe 30 yards away — a distance easily covered during some of Manziel’s trademark scrambles — the athletic department trophy case includes several awards won by Manziel, along with the team’s plaques for reaching the state semifinals during his sophomore and junior seasons.

The athletic department secretary has no trouble locating the key to the case: Camera crews from ESPN and Fox Sports Southwest have paid recent visits to the home of the player nicknamed Johnny Football.

“To sit there on your sofa and watch SportsCenter and have them talk about Johnny Manziel and Kerrville, Texas ... it give you chills,” said Bock.

Manziel maintains his ties to Kerrville, trading text messages with Fifer, who wishes him good luck on Thursday before every game. He gave Bock an autographed football in Sep-

tember when he turned 40.

Jim Muncie was Tivy’s radio announcer during the two trips to the state semifinals and he remains a close friend of the Manziel family.

Muncie believes a recent profile of Manziel in the New York Times focused too much on Manziel’s scrapes with the law, one while he was in high school and the other last summer.

Manziel was arrested in June after an altercation outside a College Station bar, and charged with giving police fake identification.

“That spin isn’t appropriate, I think, in Johnny’s case,” Muncie said. “I did the same damn thing when I was [20] years old. I got kicked out of the University of Texas-El Paso for doing stupid stuff, so I can relate to Johnny.

“Am I worried about Johnny? No. He’s a 19-year-old kid who’s kinda been ripped [over the issue], but he has the respect of his teammates. You see it on the sideline.”

Becoming Johnny Football

Manziel became known as Johnny Football after arriving in Aggieland. Cunyus said he thought about calling Manziel something that would not have lent itself to such a great nickname.

“Johnny Football is catchy, but I think we still think of him as Johnny,” Cunyus said. “We thought we should refer to him as John, but it just

Special to The Eagle

Tivy head baseball coach Steve Rippee coached Manziel on the diamond (above) as well as serving as an assistant on the football field.

Stuart Cunyus, a reporter and photographer for the Hill Country Community Journal, covered Manziel’s high school sports career.

Eagle photos by Stuart Villanueva

didn’t work. He’s Johnny.”

When Manziel’s family moved to Kerrville, he didn’t provoke great expectations as an eighth-grader, and was not a big name when he started at Tivy High School.

“I walked in on the first day of school in 2007 and saw him sitting at the table and asked who he was,” Fifer said. “One of the kids told me he was going to be the best quarterback at Tivy High School. I said, ‘Yeah, right.’

He just looked like a scrawny little kid.”

Fifer, who has two grown children, wound up thinking of Manziel as a son. She figures she’ll probably cry if Manziel wins the Heisman.

“By the time he got to be a sophomore, he started coming by [her desk] regular,” Fifer said. “I was helping out with the varsity, and when he came on

the sidelines we would chat.

“He’s such an unbelievable kid. He’s so sweet, so kind. He’s never been anything but respectful. I just love him.”

Although football was Manziel’s true love, he was a terrific baseball player at Tivy. Manziel played shortstop for coach Steve Rippee, who believes Manziel could have been drafted if he wanted to play professional baseball.

Winter rye grass was taking hold on the field in late November, but for a moment it felt a little like late spring

as Rippee reminisced. “Johnny hit a few out of here,” he said.

For an athlete as talented as Manziel, that simply required making good contact and getting the baseball elevated, a task for which he was made.

“What makes Johnny the most magnificent is the way he elevates players around him,” Bock said. “He will take a good player and elevate them to a great player. That allows him to do what he does.

“He elevated all the players. He elevated a team. He elevated a town.”

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

D18

Johnny Football’s Top 10

Extra points Where does Johnny Manziel rank on the all-time Johnny list?

It’s an All-American name, which got us thinking deeply about other great Johnnys, real and fictional. Here are 20 of them. Where does Johnny Manziel rank? If he wins the Heisman, we’d slide him right between Johnny Bench and Johnny Rotten. But he’s moving up the charts fast.

— Rob Clark

AP file photo texas a&M quarterback Johnny Manziel celebrates a first-half touchdown against alabama during the aggies’ 29-24 victory nov. 10 at Bryant-Denny stadium in tuscaloosa, ala.

‘The Eagle’ picks Manziel’s best 10 plays from the 2012 season

By DAVID HARRIS david.harris@theeagle.com

Johnny Manziel has been a human highlight reel from the moment he took his first collegiate snap in September.

While leading Texas A&M to its first 10-win season since 1998, Manziel ran and threw for a combined 43 touchdowns and set the SEC record for total offense with 4,600 yards.

His play provided constant entertainment and unpredictability and

Bringing fans the latest on all Aggie and Brazos Valley sports • Follow Robert Cessna’s up-to-the-minute blogs on college football’s most prestigious award selection live from New York • Bowl match-ups • Richard Croome’s blog, Croome’s Corner • David Harris’ blog, From the Press Box • Read the latest contributions from Reggie McNeal, Bucky Richardson and Jackie Sherrill • Schedules for upcoming Aggie sports events • Online videos and photo galleries • Also find coverage on basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball, tennis, cross country, equestrian, track and field, soccer, golf and much more!

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made him one of college football’s most exciting players.

In an effort to recap his surprising season, here’s our take on his top 10 plays. There were many more that barely missed the cut.

1. “Got him. no they didn’t. oh my gracious!

How about that?!?”

Nov. 10 at Alabama

AggieSports.com

1. Johnny Cash: No one tops the Man in Black.

2. Johnny Carson: There’s no “Here’s Johnny!” moment in The Shining without Carson.

3. Johnny Depp: Great actor in serious (Finding Neverland), musical (Sweeney Todd) and offbeat (Alice in Wonderland) flicks.

4. Johnny Unitas: As Abe Simpson once said of the quarterback legend’s high-and-tight, “There’s a haircut you can set your watch to!”

5. Johnnie Walker: “I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly.”

6. Johnny Appleseed: Because we need something healthy after all that scotch.

7. Johnny Bench: The Cincinnati Reds catcher starred for The Big Red Machine.

8. Johnny Rotten: The snarling, acid-tongued lead singer of Brit-punk band The Sex Pistols.

9. Johnny Mathis: The super-smooth crooner known for Chances Are. 10. Dr. Johnny Fever: The wild man DJ on WKRP in Cincinnati.

11. Johnny Quest: The animated boy hero.

12. Johnny Knoxville: The head jackass on Jackass.

13. Johnny Cade: The fallen hero in The Outsiders. “Let’s do it for Johnny, man. We’ll do it for Johnny!”

14. Johnny Marr: Playing guitar for The Smiths means he played second fiddle to Morrissey. But still, that’s a mean fiddle.

15. Johnny Drama: Kevin Dillon’s Entourage character was a consistent source of laughs.

16. Johnny Galecki: The Big Bang Theory, Roseanne and Christmas Vacation.

17. Johnnie Taylor: “The Philosopher of Soul,” best known for the 1976 hit Disco Lady.

18. Johnny Storm: Otherwise known as The Human Torch, one-fourth of the Fantastic Four.

19. Johnny Utah: The preposterous name of Keanu Reeves’ character in Point Break.

20. Johnny Mnemonic: The preposterous name of Keanu Reeves’ character in Johnny Mnemonic.

Friday, December 7, 2012

If Manziel needed a Heisman moment, this was it. With the Aggies leading topranked Alabama 7-0 in the first quarter, Manziel led the team inside the 10-yard line. On third-and-goal, Manziel dropped back to pass and looked to run up the middle. He bumped into guard Cedric Ogbuehi, causing the football to pop into the air. Manziel regained control of the ball, scrambled to his left and found an open Ryan Swope in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, inspiring that quote from legendary CBS broadcaster Verne Lundquist.

2. the game winner against the tide

Nov. 10 at Alabama After completing a 42-yard pass to Swope, Manziel didn’t waste time making another perfect throw. The Aggies ran the same play as the game-winner against Ole Miss — a corner route against man coverage. Manziel spotted Malcome Kennedy and made a perfect throw, just beyond the

See TOP 10, Page D19

theeagle.com • aggiesports.com

Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

Friday, December 7, 2012

D19

TOP 10: Manziel’s 576 yards against Louisiana Tech among his highlights Continued from D18 fingertips of All-American cornerback Dee Milliner. Kennedy hauled it in at the goal line, and the Aggies took a 29-17 lead. It proved to be the gamewinner in the 29-24 upset.

3. Breaking his own SEC record

Oct. 13 vs. Louisiana Tech in Shreveport, La. On the verge of blowing a 27-point lead, the Aggies faced a third-and-24 when Manziel took off. He sprinted to the right, split two defenders around the 40-yard line and outran the rest of the Bulldogs’ defense for a 72-yard touchdown run that was the difference in the 59-57 win.

Manziel gained 576 total yards in the game, breaking his previous record of 557 against Arkansas.

4. Completing a comeback

Oct. 6 at Ole Miss The Aggies faced a 10-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter, and Manziel had turned the ball over three times, including a fumble in the red zone and a fourth-quarter interception. However, his 29-yard touchdown run cut the lead to four points. After the Aggies got a huge fourth-down stop in Ole Miss territory, Manziel took over with two minutes remaining and 27 yards to go. On third-and-3, Manziel dropped back to pass, saw Swope running a corner route and delivered a perfect strike to put the Aggies in front.

5. A run worthy of a butt slap

Nov. 3 at Mississippi State In a battle of top-15 teams, A&M raced to a 14-0 lead over the Bulldogs. Facing third-and-10 at the Mississippi State 37-yard line, Manziel took things into his own hands. He avoided the blitz, sprinted around the right edge and scampered toward the end zone. He split defenders at the 20-yard line and again at the 10, waltzing into the end zone

AP file photo AP file photo Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel sprints through the heart of the Missis- Johnny Manziel scrambles for yards against Louisiana Tech in Shreveport, La., on Oct. 13. Manziel broke his own record for sippi State defense on a 37-yard touchdown run on Nov. 3 in Starkville, Miss. The single-game total offense with 576 yards in the Aggies’ 59-57 victory.

Aggies won 38-13. half of a blowout, Manziel took and breaking into a “Superman” cel- crazy, Manziel faked a handoff to the snap and looked toward the ebration. Offensive coordinator Kliff Ben Malena, drifted to his right and end zone. He stood in the pocket Kingsbury was so elated he gave looked to his go-to receiver, Swope, for eight seconds with no Tiger dehead coach Kevin Sumlin a slap on throwing a perfect pass between the fenders threatening to sack him. cornerback and the safety. It went for He drifted to his right, evaded one the rear.

42 yards and put the Aggies in prime defender, then stepped through the position to deliver a knockout punch. grasp of defensive tackle Matt Hoch.

From there Manziel scrambled left, pump-faked, then found a wide-open Uzoma Nwachukwu in the corner of Sept. 29 vs. Arkansas the end zone. Manziel held the ball On third-and-goal against the Rafor 12 seconds on the play.

Sept. 15 at SMU zorbacks, Manziel dropped back to Most quarterbacks throw betpass and surveyed the field. Arkansas linebacker Tenarius Wright got ter with both feet planted. Against free and closed in on Manziel from SMU, Manziel showed he isn’t like his right. Manziel escaped to his left, most quarterbacks. In the second Oct. 13 vs. Louisiana Tech but Wright chased him backward. half, he escaped linebacker Taylor in Shreveport, La. Manziel completed a full loop as Reed and scrambled to his left. With The Aggies led the Bulldogs Wright fell down, and the Aggie quar- more Mustang defenders approachterback outran Arkansas defenders ing, Manziel jumped off one foot and 39-23 in the third quarter and were delivered a perfect pass to Kenric threatening again. But the Bullfor a 6-yard touchdown run.

Eagle photo by Stuart Villanueva McNeal, who did the rest of the work dogs stopped running back Christine Michael near the goal line and Texas A&M left tackle Luke Joeckel lifts Johnny Manziel after a touchdown in the for a 42-yard touchdown. knocked the ball loose as Michael Aggies’ 59-29 victory against Missouri on Nov. 24 at Kyle Field. tried to stretch it across the line.

Louisiana Tech linebacker Chip the whistle, including Manziel. He loose ball, but Manziel tackled him, Nov. 10 at Alabama Hester recovered the fumble and chased down Hester and tackled too. The play didn’t count, or ManThe Aggies had a 23-17 lead at took off downfield. Though officials him around the A&M 40-yard line, ziel would’ve had the rare QB feat Nov. 24 vs. Missouri Alabama early in the fourth quarter. ruled Michael’s progress had been forcing another fumble. Tech line- of two tackles and a forced fumble On second-and-goal in the first halted, many players didn’t hear backer Mike Schrang picked up the on one play.

With the Crimson Tide crowd going

6. Two steps forward, two steps back

8. An unconventional technique

10. Johnny Football in all respects

7. A perfect throw at the perfect time

9. Just playing with defenders

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

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Friday, December 7, 2012

Local Heisman voters sound off on Manziel #JohnnyFootball hype thrives on Twitter

By ALLEN REED allen.reed@theeagle.com

Media members and past Heisman winners are not immune to Johnny Football fever.

The award for the most outstanding player in college football will be presented Saturday in New York City. The last time an Aggie took home the honor, gas was 24 cents a gallon, The Cat in the Hat was freshly published and federal troops had just been sent into Arkansas to desegregate its public schools. It was 1957, and John David Crow became Texas A&M’s only Heisman winner.

Crow earned the trophy with his standout play at running back. He said he can’t wait for A&M to win another, and has been pleasantly shocked by Johnny Manziel.

“I’veheardalotof peopletrying to compare him to someone who has played before,” Crow said, “everyone from Archie Manning to Tim Tebow. But I think he has hisownstyle....Itseemstomelike it’s all him. You’re born with that kind of stuff.”

Crow wouldn’t say who he voted for, but did drop a hint.

“I’m an Aggie,” he said. “So you can take it from there.”

Ballots are cast by 870 newspaper journalists across the country, including Eagle sports writers Robert Cessna and Richard Croome. Every former Heisman winner (57 now) also have a vote.

One fan vote is included, as well.

Texas media members had differing opinions on Manziel’s playing style, but all said they were impressed by him.

“They probably won’t like the comparison, but he’s kind of a smaller Vince Young,” said Kirk Bohls of the Austin AmericanStatesman. “He can take over a game by himself.”

Bohls has watched Manziel live four times this year, and said he came away “very impressed.”

Manziel, Bohls said, has transformed the football culture at A&M in one year, and that he was “flabbergasted” with how well A&M has played.

“He’s just so electric,” Bohls said. “You can’t take your eyes off of him when he’s on the field.

It’s probably no surprise that #johnnyfootball, #heisman, #gigem and #tamu have recently taken turns trending on Twitter.

Texas A&M redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel, more lovingly known as Johnny Football, has attracted national attention this season, and many fans have taken to social media to share their opinion on the 20-year-old from Kerrville. From adoration to jokes (with a nod to Chuck Norris boasts), here’s a look at what’s being tweeted:

Johnny Manziel could become Texas A&M’s second Heisman Trophy winner.

He’s just the best combination of solid quarterback play and unexpected explosiveness. He’s got the ‘wow’ factor like very few players I’ve ever seen.”

Still, Bohls joked that Manziel wasn’t perfect.

“He needs a lot of work at kicking extra points,” Bohls said.

Kevin Sherrington with the Dallas Morning News attended A&M’s games against Florida, Louisiana State and Alabama and watched other A&M games on television. He said while watching Manziel play Florida, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo immediately came to mind. Sherrington said both are unconventional quarterbacks with the ability to extend plays.

“Atthattime,everyonethought Florida was a middle-rung SEC team,” Sherrington said. “I think it was hard to tell right away how good he really was.”

The Heisman goes to the most outstanding player, not the most valuableplayer,Sherringtonsaid.

“The Aggies won 10 games, and after what they’ve been for the past 15 years, that’s phenom-

enal — and I think he’s the difference,” Sherrington said. “I think, if I took this kid and I put him on any team in the country, how good would that team be? If you put him on LSU, LSU would be the national champion.”

The Dallas sportswriter declined to share his ballot, but similarly shared a preview.

“It’s clear to me Johnny is the best player,” Sherrington said.

“I don’t think it’s really close.”

Brent Zwerneman covers Aggie sports for the San Antonio Express-News and the Houston Chronicle. He shared many of the same impressions.

“The best guy I’ve seen by far is Johnny Manziel,” Zwerneman said. “It’s just so much fun to watch a guy when things are seemingly collapsing in on him, for him to be able to escape.”

Zwerneman said it’s hard to compare Manziel to any past or current star, but that he compares favorably to Fran Tarkenton — a nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings in the 1960s and ’70s.

“He has really interesting

Eagle photo by Stuart Villanueva

instincts where he senses danger from behind,” Zwerneman said. “Manziel is more of Drew Brees’ size, but with much better scrambling ability.”

College Station has a handful of Heisman voters. Zwerneman is joined by Cessna and Croome, and Olin Buchanan with TexAgs, a local fan site.

Cessna also threw his support behind the College Station sensation.

“He improvises plays,” Cessna said. “His peripheral vision is just phenomenal. The fact he can turn so many negative plays not only into positive plays but game-changing plays — you can’t coach that.”

Tarkenton also came to Cessna’s mind, but The Eagle executive sports editor says Manziel stands on his own.

“I hate comparing teams, generations, players,” Cessna said.

“You know he’s not Michael Vick, he’s not Tim Tebow. He’s Johnny Manziel. You have to enjoy what you have. He’s himself, he’s Johnny Football, and it’s amazing.”

• MaryHannah Donaldson @_MH12 - Even the kids I babysit for want #JohnnyFootball to win the heisman!

• Justin Gilliam @justingilligan - Let’s be honest there is only one candidate that deserves the heisman #JohnnyFootball4Heisman #numbersdontlie • Ric Brooks @usmcbrooks - #JohnnyFootball put on his knee brace to prove that a one legged man can win a butt kicking contest • Brandon Luce @Coach_Luce - #JohnnyFootball can judge a book by its cover.

• Julio Cardenas @jcardenas711 - I once saw #JohnnyFootball eat at Chik-Fil-A... on a Sunday.

• lesterrose @lesterrose - Fire trucks pull over for Johnny Football. #JohnnyFootball • Alan Wilson @coachalanwilson - The most interesting man in world doesn’t always follow people on twitter...but when he does he tweets about #JohnnyFootball • Jesse Fox @J_Fox44 - When #JohnnyFootball does a push-up he doesn’t push himself up, he pushes the world down • Julio Cardenas @jcardenas711 - Scooby Doo dressed up as #JohnnyFootball for Halloween.

• Brandon Williams @Bwilliamsiscool - I can’t wait for #JohnnyFootball to win the #Heisman then score a touchdown in the Cotton Bowl and do the #Heismanpose • Anthony Stone @arstone26 - Ghosts sit around a campfire and tell #JohnnyFootball stories • Jacob Baca @jbaca12 - Can’t wait for the Heisman Trophy presentation Saturday night! #Heismanziel • Kenny Dwayne Vaccaro @KennyVaccaro4 - Shout out to my boy @JManziel2 for being SEC offensive player of the year. Go get the heisman • Scott Kutchins @scottkutchins - @JManziel2 Ur doing great things! So proud of what u stand 4 my 7 y/o changed his Lacrosse number to 2 because u r his hero! Good luck n NYC • Rhett Rapshus @rhettrapshus - if @JManziel2 doesn’t win the heisman, im boycotting college football. the kid is absolutely unstoppable • Al Hinshaw @Hinshaw_10 - I know I’m biased to the #SEC, but Johnny Football should, in my opinion win the #Heisman.

4600 yards and beating Bama on the road. #Aggies • Lee Bernhoft @Leebernt - The Alamo remembers #JohnnyFootball.

• Phil Smith @psmith867 - #JohnnyFootball Is required by rule to wear a helmet, not because he needs it, but for the other players’ safety.

• Matthew Wolfert @matauswol - My dad just sang the “Johnny Football” song from the pulpit at church. #HeisManziel • Brandon Luce @Coach_Luce - Siri asks #JohnnyFootball questions.

• Sabra Wineteer @sabrawineteer - BCS bowls are a mess, but worth it to see Bob Stoops’ face when Johnny Football turns Oklahoma’s defense into headless chickens...#Aggies • Erik Burkhart @HuskerInsanity - Prince William and Kate Middleton should name their baby “Johnny Football” #Aggies • jack @jacksydale - They don’t cut the grass at kyle field, #JohnnyFootball dares it to grow.

– Cassie Smith

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Friday, December 7, 2012

Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

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Extra points Heisman mix: Get ready with Johnny jams

JOHNNY FOOTBALL FLASHBACK Let’s take a trip back in time, all the way back to ... August, when Johnny Manziel was named Texas A&M’s starting quarterback. Here’s a snapshot of The Eagle’s coverage of Manziel’s exploits on the field.

The name Johnny has been used for dozens of characters in pop songs over the years, so here we present a Johnny mix of sorts. We took the liberty of skipping songs that don’t fit the bill because of violent lyrics, like Bruce Springsteen’s Johnny 99, Liz Phair’s Johnny Feelgood, Poe’s Angry Johnny and Bob Marley’s Johnny Was. But here are a few lighter Johnny songs to get you in the Heisman mood.

• Johnny Angel by Shelley Fabares (1962): “Johnny Angel, how I want him/How I tingle when he passes by/Every time he says hello my heart begins to fly.”

• New Kid in Town by The Eagles (1976): “Johnny come lately, the new kid in town/ Everybody loves you, so don’t let them down.”

• Can’t Keep Johnny Down by They Might Be Giants (2011): “And they can’t, can’t keep Johnny down/They haven’t yet built the man that’ll keep old Johnny down.”

• Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry (1958): “Many people coming from miles around/ To hear you play your music when the sun go down/Maybe someday your name will be in lights/Saying Johnny B. Goode tonight, go, go/ Go Johnny go.”

• Who’s Johnny by El DeBarge (1986): “‘Who’s Johnny,’ she said, and smiled in her special way/‘Johnny,’ she said, ‘You know I love you.’”

• Johnny Guitar by Peggy Lee (1954): “There was never a man like my Johnny/Like the one they call Johnny Guitar.”

– Rob Clark

theeagle.com • aggiesports.com

Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

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ExTrA pOinTS Where does ‘Johnny Football’ rank in sports nicknames?

Johnny Manziel’s nickname Johnny Football has certainly helped the redshirt freshman get attention in his first season as Texas A&M’s quarterback. But where does it rank with other sports nicknames? It’s fairly unique in its simplicity, and really only Donnie Baseball (for former Yankees slugger Don Mattingly) or Teddy Ballgame (for Red Sox legend Ted Williams) have a similar tone.

Here are 10 great nicknames from football, baseball and basketball. We skipped those that are synonymous with the person’s name (like Magic Johnson) or just rhyme with the first name (Hakeem the Dream).

BASEBALL

1. The Wizard of Oz (Ozzie Smith) 2. Say Hey Kid (Willie Mays) 3. Hammerin’ Hank (Hank Aaron) 4. Mr. October (Reggie Jackson) 5. Oil Can (Dennis Boyd) 6. Charlie Hustle (Pete Rose) 7. The Rocket (Roger Clemens) 8. The Big Unit (Randy Johnson) 9. The Sultan of Swat (Babe Ruth) 10. Pudge (Ivan Rodriguez)

Friday, December 7, 2012

The competition Manti Te’o

Notre Dame linebacker Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Te’o provided the backbone for a defense that allowed 10.3 points per game this season, tops in the nation.

The top-ranked Fighting Irish finished as the only undefeated team in FBS play at 12-0, earning a berth in the BCS national championship game against SEC champion Alabama.

Te’o, a 6-2, 255-pounder from Hawaii, led Notre Dame with seven interceptions, which ranked first nationally among linebackers and second overall. The Butkus Award winner totaled the same number or more interceptions as 33 of the 124 FBS teams. He also had a team-high 103 tackles, 52 better than the next two leading tacklers for the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame ranked 11th in the nation in rushing defense at 3.16 yards per carry and allowed only two rushing touchdowns.

Te’o would be the first strictly defensive player to win the Heisman and the eighth player from Notre Dame to claim the honor.

AP file photo notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o leads all linebackers with seven interceptions this season.

BASKETBALL

1. Air Jordan (Michael Jordan) 2. Dr. J (Julius Erving) 3. Iceman (George Gervin) 4. Round Mound of Rebound (Charles Barkley) 5. The Admiral (David Robinson) 6. Pistol Pete (Pete Maravich) 7. The Big O (Oscar Robertson) 8. The Mailman (Karl Malone) 9. The Human Highlight Film (Dominique Wilkins) 10. Chocolate Thunder (Darryl Dawkins)

FOOTBALL

1. Crazy Legs (Elroy Hirsch) 2. Too Tall (Ed Jones) 3. Night Train (Dick Lane) 4. The Galloping Ghost (Red Grange) 5. Mean Joe Greene (Joe Greene) 6. Broadway Joe (Joe Namath) 7. White Shoes (Billy Johnson) 8. The Refrigerator (William Perry) 9. The Playmaker (Michael Irvin) 10. Prime Time (Deion Sanders) – Rob Clark

Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein threw for 184 yards and a touchdown and ran for another 103 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Wildcats to a 42-24 victory over Texas, which won the Big 12 title for the Wildcats.

AP photo

Collin Klein

Kansas State quarterback Senior quarterback Collin Klein led the No. 5 Kansas State Wildcats to an 11-1 record, the Big 12 title and a BCS bowl berth against Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.

At 6-5 and 226 pounds, Klein drove KSU’s offense as a dual threat. The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm recipient ran for 890 yards, a total that would have been much greater if not for losing 207 yards in sacks. He completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,490 yards and 15 touchdowns. He threw seven interceptions, three in the Wildcats’ lone loss to Baylor. Over the middle of the season he played six games without throwing an interception.

Klein averaged 9.2 yards per pass, sixth in the nation and 0.7 yards per pass better than Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel. He also had a slightly better quarterback rating than Manziel, ranking 16th nationally at 156.13 to Manziel’s 155.85 for 17th.

Klein seemed to be the clear front-runner for the Heisman until Baylor upset KSU 52-24 in Waco on Nov. 17.

No KSU player has won a Heisman Trophy.

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Friday, December 7, 2012

Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

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Johnny Manziel: Road to the heiSMan

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Friday, December 7, 2012

Heisman Trophy winners: 1935-2011 1935: RB Jay Berwanger, Chicago 1936: End Larry Kelley, Yale 1937: QB Clint Frank, Yale 1938: QB Davey O’Brien, TCU 1939: RB Nile Kinnick, Iowa 1940: RB Tom Harmon, Michigan 1941: RB Bruce Smith, Minnesota 1942: RB Frank Sinkwich, Georgia 1943: QB Angelo Bertelli, Notre Dame 1944: QB Les Horvath, Ohio State 1945: FB Doc Blanchard, Army 1946: RB Glenn Davis, Army 1947: QB John Lujack, Notre Dame 1948: RB Doak Walker, Southern Methodist 1949: E Leon Hart, Notre Dame 1950: RB Vic Janowicz, Ohio State 1951: RB Dick Kazmaier, Princeton 1952: RB Billy Vessels, Oklahoma 1953: RB John Lattner, Notre Dame 1954: FB Alan Ameche, Wisconsin 1955: RB Howard Cassady, Ohio State 1956: QB Paul Hornung, Notre Dame 1957: RB John David Crow, Texas A&M 1958: RB Pete Dawkins, Army 1959: RB Billy Cannon, Louisiana State 1960: RB Joe Bellino, Navy 1961: RB Ernie Davis, Syracuse

Frank Sinkwich UGA sports communication

Billy cannon LSU athletics

Steve SPurrier Florida athletic association

Pat Sullivan Auburn University

1962: QB Te rry Baker, Oregon State 1963: QB Roger Staubach, Navy 1964: QB John Huarte, Notre Dame 1965: RB Mike Garrett, USC 1966: QB Steve Spurrier, Florida 1967: QB Gary Beban, UCLA 1968: RB O.J. Simpson, USC 1969: FB Steve Owens, Oklahoma 1970: QB Jim Plunkett, Stanford 1971: QB Pat Sullivan, Auburn 1972: RB Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska 1973: RB John Cappelletti, Penn State 1974: RB Archie Griffin, Ohio State 1975: RB Archie Griffin, Ohio State 1976: RB Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh 1977: RB Earl Campbell, Te xas 1978: RB Billy Sims, Oklahoma 1979: RB Charles White, USC 1980: RB George Rogers, South Carolina 1981: RB Marcus Allen, USC 1982: RB Herschel Walker, Georgia 1983: RB Mike Rozier, Nebraska 1984: QB Doug Flutie, Boston College 1985: RB Bo Jackson, Auburn 1986: QB Vinny Te staverde, Miami 1987: WR Tim Brown, Notre Dame 1988: RB Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State 1989: QB Andre Ware, Houston

1990: QB Ty Detmer, Brigham Young 1991: WR Desmond Howard, Michigan 1992: QB Gino Torretta, Miami 1993: QB Charlie Ward, Florida State 1994: RB Rashaan Salaam, Colorado 1995: RB Eddie George, Ohio State 1996: QB Danny Wuerffel, Florida 1997: CB Charles Woodson, Michigan 1998: RB Ricky Williams, Te xas 1999: RB Ron Dayne, Wisconsin 2000: QB Chris Weinke, Florida State 2001: QB Eric Crouch, Nebraska 2002: QB Carson Palmer, USC 2003: QB Jason White, Oklahoma 2004: QB Matt Leinart, USC **2005: RB Reggie Bush, USC 2006: QB Troy Smith, Ohio State 2007: QB Tim Tebow, Florida 2008: QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma 2009: TB Mark Ingram, Alabama 2010: QB Cameron Newton, Auburn 2011: QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor

GeorGe roGerS South Carolina athletics

herSchel walker UGA sports communication

Bo JackSon Auburn University

Bold: University in the Southeastern Conference **Bush forfeited his Heisman title in 2010

Mark inGraM The Birmingham News

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