The leading candidate to win this year’s Heisman Trophy was probably last year’s winner, Johnny Football. Before then, we had some good looks at some very good players who might be up for the award, but no one that I saw could top Manziel until the Aggies lost to Auburn.
Johnny Manziel put up 41 points and generally did everything you’d expect from a top Heisman candidate, except win the game and the Heisman Trophy is for winners. With losses to Alabama and Auburn under his belt this season, Johnny Football is pretty much out of the running for the Trophy. He may well be nominated and make the trip to New York for the awards ceremony but he probably won’t repeat as the award winner. Few ever do, and none who have suffered two losses.
Before this past weekend’s action, the leading candidates for the Heisman were Manziel and Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota followed by Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville and Tajh Boyd from Clemson. Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was also often mentioned in the Heisman conversation.
But the Bridgewater and his Cardinals got whipped on their home field by the virtually unknown University of Central Florida from Orlando. Bridgewater is still a strong pro prospect but his Heisman hopes are short. Then Manziel got beat by Auburn and Jameis Winston took Tajh Boyd out of the picture with a little help from his friends and teammates.
By Sunday morning, only Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston remained at the top of the Heisman list with Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron still lingering in the wings. Others have been mentioned but the Heisman will most likely go to one of these three great players.
If Jameis Winston is indeed able to win the award it will mark the second year in a row that the Heisman Trophy has gone to a freshman football player, something that never happened before Johnny Football came along.
To win the Heisman Trophy these days is getting to be a complicated affair. Universities actually launch add campaigns if they think they have a viable candidate for the award.
The Award was created in 1935 by the Downtown Athletic Club and named after the Club’s athletic director John Heisman. The Trophy is presented annually to the college athlete deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It is presented in New York City each in December before the start of the post-season bowl games. The Heisman Trophy is the most coveted award in college sports.
