2012 Heisman

It's looking more and more like the 2012 Heisman Trophy will either go to a defensive player or a freshman. One very rarely happens. The other has never happened. It has come down to Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o and Texas A&M redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel. If I had a vote it would be going to Te'o. Notre Dame wouldn't be the #1 team in the nation without their defense. Their defense wouldn't be as great without Manti Te'o. He leads the Irish by example and with his passion. Every time I see Notre Dame play he's making plays. He's always around the ball. I don't think that my Heisman vote, if I had one, would keep Johnny Manziel from winning the 2012 Heisman Trophy. What he has done for Texas A&M is phenomenal. Considering that he's only a freshman, most might say that what he's done is impossible. Johnny Football makes things happen. I don't think that any team in the nation wants to play the Aggies and Manziel right now. He finds a little luck in that his one bad game, a loss to LSU, was nearly two months ago. If he has that game more recently most voters would have moved him aside as many have done with quarterback Collin Klein of Kansas St.

I've heard some say that the Heisman has become a two man race between Manziel and Te'o due more to others like Klein, Oregon back Kenjon Barner and USC receiver Marqise Lee fading at the end of the season. I don't buy that. Manziel and Te'o have stepped up. That has nothing to do with anything that the other players have done or not done. Give the players that have performed when their teams need it the most some credit. Barner may not even be the best player on his own team. Klein has been terrific all season but his 14 touchdowns and 2300 yards pales when compared to Manziel's 24 touchdowns and 3400 yards. Manziel also beat Alabama while Klein was taken apart by Baylor. I like Lee a lot. He's been fantastic for two years but he's hurt by USC's struggles. The wildcard is Ohio St. quarterback Braxton Miller. Leading an undefeated team gets him consideration. An undefeated team that's on probation likely costs him some votes. Klein, Miller and/or Lee will probably join Manziel and Te'o in New York as finalists. I vote for Te'o. I see the Heisman going to Manziel.