Manziel is first freshman Heisman Trophy winner

photo Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel gestures as he talks to reporters after becoming the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, college football's top individual prize, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012, in New York.
photo Heisman Trophy finalist Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M, poses with the Heisman Trophy following a news conference prior to the announcement of the winne Saturday in New York.

Heisman Winners(x-vacated)2012-Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M, QB2011-Robert Griffin III, Baylor, QB2010-Cam Newton, Auburn, QB2009-Mark Ingram, Alabama, RB2008-Sam Bradford, Oklahoma, QB2007-Tim Tebow, Florida, QB2006-Troy Smith, Ohio State, QB2005-x-Reggie Bush, Southern Cal, RB2004-Matt Leinart, Southern Cal, QB2003-Jason White, Oklahoma, QB2002-Carson Palmer, Southern Cal, QB2001-Eric Crouch, Nebraska, QB2000-Chris Weinke, Florida St., QB1999-Ron Dayne, Wisconsin, RB1998-Ricky Williams, Texas, RB1997-Charles Woodson, Michigan, CB1996-Danny Wuerffel, Florida, QB1995-Eddie George, Ohio State, TB1994-Rashaan Salaam, Colorado, RB1993-Charlie Ward, Florida State, QB1992-Gino Torretta, Miami, QB1991-Desmond Howard, Michigan, WR1990-Ty Detmer, Brigham Young, QB1989-Andre Ware, Houston, QB1988-Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State, RB1987-Tim Brown, Notre Dame, WR1986-Vinny Testaverde, Miami, QB1985-Bo Jackson, Auburn, TB1984-Doug Flutie, Boston College, QB1983-Mike Rozier, Nebraska, TB1982-Herschel Walker, Georgia, HB1981-Marcus Allen, Southern Cal, TB1980-George Rogers, South Carolina, HB1979-Charles White, Southern Cal, TB1978-Billy Sims, Oklahoma, HB1977-Earl Campbell, Texas, FB1976-Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh, HB1975-Archie Griffin, Ohio State, HB1974-Archie Griffin, Ohio State, HB1973-John Cappelletti, Penn State, HB1972-Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska, FL1971-Pat Sullivan, Auburn, QB1970-Jim Plunkett, Stanford, QB1969-Steve Owens, Oklahoma, HB1968-O.J. Simpson, Southern Cal, TB1967-Gary Beban, UCLA, QB1966-Steve Spurrier, Florida, QB1965-Mike Garrett, Southern Cal, TB1964-John Huarte, Notre Dame, QB1963-Roger Staubach, Navy, QB1962-Terry Baker, Oregon State, QB1961-Ernie Davis, Syracuse, HB1960-Joe Bellino, Navy, HB1959-Billy Cannon, LSU, HB1958-Pete Dawkins, Army, HB1957-John David Crow, Texas A&M, HB1956-Paul Hornung, Notre Dame, QB1955-Howard Cassady, Ohio State, HB1954-Alan Ameche, Wisconsin, FB1953-John Lattner, Notre Dame, HB1952-Billy Vessels, Oklahoma, HB1951-Dick Kazmaier, Princeton, HB1950-Vic Janowicz, Ohio State, HB1949-Leon Hart, Notre Dame, E1948-Doak Walker, SMU, HB1947-John Lujack, Notre Dame, QB1946-Glenn Davis, Army, HB1945-Doc Blanchard, Army, HB1944-Les Horvath, Ohio State, QB1943-Angelo Bertelli, Notre Dame, QB1942-Frank Sinkwich, Georgia, HB1941-Bruce Smith, Minnesota, HB1940-Tom Harmon, Michigan, HB1939-Nile Kinnick, Iowa, HB1938-Davey O'Brien, Texas Christian, QB1937-Clint Frank, Yale, HB1936-Larry Kelley, Yale, E1935-Jay Berwanger, Chicago, HB

NEW YORK - Johnny Football just got himself a way cooler nickname: Johnny Heisman.

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, taking college football's top individual prize Saturday night after a record-breaking debut.

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o finished a distant second and Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein was third in the voting. In a unique Heisman race, with two nontraditional candidates, Manziel broke through the class barrier and kept Te'o from becoming the first purely defensive player to win the award.

Manziel drew 474 first-place votes and 2,029 points from the panel of media members and former winners.

"I have been dreaming about this since I was a kid," he said during his acceptance speech after hugging his mom, dad and kid sister.

Manziel seemed incredibly calm after his name was announced, hardly resembling the guy who dashes around the football field on Saturday.

Te'o had 321 first-place votes and 1,706 points and Klein received 60 firsts and 894 points.

Just a few days after turning 20, Manziel proved times have truly changed in college football, and that experience can be really overrated.

For years, seniors dominated the award named after John Heisman, the pioneering Georgia Tech coach from the early 1900s. In the 1980s, juniors started becoming common winners. Tim Tebow became the first sophomore to win it in 2007, and two more won it in the next two seasons.

Adrian Peterson had come closest as a freshman, finishing second to Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart in 2004. But it took 78 years for a newbie to take home the big bronze statue. Johnny Football really can do it all.

Peterson was a true freshman for Oklahoma. As a redshirt freshmen, Manziel attended school and practiced with the team last year, but did not play in any games.

He's the second player from Texas A&M to win the Heisman - John David Crow took it home in 1957 - and did so without the slightest hint of preseason hype. Manziel didn't even win the starting job until two weeks before the season.

Who needs hype when you can fill-up a highlight reel the way Manziel can?

With daring dashes and elusive improvisation, Manziel broke 2010 Heisman winner Cam Netwon's Southeastern Conference record with 4,600 total yards, led the Aggies to a 10-2 in their first season in the SEC and orchestrated an upset at then-No. 1 Alabama in November that stamped him as legit.

He has thrown for 3,419 yards and 24 touchdowns and run for 1,181 yards and 19 more scores to become the first freshman, first SEC player and fifth player overall to throw for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000 in a season.

Manziel has one more game this season, against Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 4.

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