This was the year of Johnny Football. He and his new friend Manti Te’o were hands down the countries two favorite players. Te’o & Manziel were one & two in the Heisman competition with Johnny finally taking the Trophy and Manti carrying off just about everything else including the Butkus and the Lombardi Awards. After the ceremony, Manziel went on a fantasy like, whirlwind tour of interviews, radio talk shows and television appearances. The personable quarterback named “Johnny Football” by his fans was a big hit where ever he went and generally handled well the fame and glory bestowed on him everywhere.
For a guy that just turned 20, he did good… and that’s a fact!
Now the Associated Press, which is the most respected group of Sports Writers in the world, has named Manziel as the 2012 AP “Player of the Year”. Once again, Manti Te’o was nipping at his heels for the honor with Manti receiving 15 first place votes to Johnny’s 31. These two guys have spent so much time together lately that it is rumored that they have become good buddies and that Manti has even invited Manziel to visit him at his parents’ home in Hawaii.
Johnny Football passed for 3,419 yards scoring 24 touchdowns during the regular season during this his freshman year at Texas A&M. He also managed to rush for 1,181 yards making 19 more touchdowns. The Aggies had a Cinderella year as they finished 10-2 in their very first season in the SEC West which has a national reputation as being one of the most competitive leagues in the land. They even beat then number one ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa on national TV… handing the Tide their only defeat of 2012. Alabama will play Notre Dame in Miami for the National NCAA Football Championship on February 7.
Manziel is back on campus at College Station, Texas now after putting in an appearance on the “Tonight Show” where he presented actress Megan Fox with a baby sized #12 Aggie football jersey for her newborn son. He also stopped by to visit with David Letterman last week as well as several other hot media stops.
Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin reported that he moment that Manziel walked into the locker room he said, “Hey Coach, I’m ready to play some football”.
The #10 Aggies will take on the #12 Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas on January 4th.
