That bronze statue, known as the Heisman Trophy, has players diving for extra yards, throwing bullets to wide receivers and leaving everything they have on the field. The Heisman Trophy, named after the man who innovated the game of football, is given annually to a player who stands above the rest in collegiate football. There are three players that have specifically proved worthy of the prize, but the question is, who will continue to prove their worthiness and take home the ultimate prize?
The man who won it last year has, once again, gone above and beyond expectation. Johnny Manziel is a sophomore quarterback for Texas A&M. He shocked college football this past year by taking home the Heisman as a first-year and has shown no signs of slowing down.
Thus far, Manziel completed 184 passes out of 252, for a 73 percent completion rate. He is currently averaging 10.3 yards per pass, which says a lot about the power in his arm. Manziel’s eight interceptions this year cannot be overlooked, but were done so in attempt for game changing long yardage attempts. His long gain (LNG) of the season thus far is 95 yards. He is known for his gutsy passes and utilizing game changing opportunities.
Not only does Manziel have the passing ability, but he is also good on his feet. So far this year, Manziel has rushed for 497 yards, scoring six touchdowns and averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Manziel has proved he can handle pressure and avoid the blitz with his tremendous speed. However, Texas A&M has suffered two losses on the year, which could affect Manziel’s chances of becoming a second-time Heisman winner.
Jameis Winston, a true first-year, is also high in the rankings for the Heisman Trophy. This quarterback is ranked second in the experts’ poll of the Heisman winner and is arguably the best athlete in collegiate football. Not only does he play football for Florida State, but he plays baseball as well. This first-year has shocked the football world, proving his worthiness as a possible candidate for being awarded the Heisman Trophy.
Winston has passed for 2,177 yards, completing 23 touchdowns and achieving a 94 yard LNG. Only throwing four interceptions thus far, Winston is smart and has the instincts of a great quarterback. So far, Winston has completed almost 70 percent of his passes.
Florida State has a 7-0 winning streak, an undefeated season so far. Winston has been a huge part of this success, leading the team all the way. Winston has scored no less than 41 points per game. Scoring this amount of points takes a lot of pressure off of the defense and his other teammates, allowing them to play loose and keep getting W’s.
Finally, and most definitely not least, the leader in points for the expert’s Heisman winner is Marcus Mariota, a 6’4″, 211 pound sophomore for Oregon. Like Manziel and Winston, Mariota is also a quarterback, exceeding expectations. Mariota, a Honolulu, Hawaii native, is proving himself this year more than ever.
Passing for 2281 yards thus far, Mariota has completed 64 percent of his passes for 20 touchdowns. His interception column must be highlighted though. He has not thrown a single interception in the eight games Oregon has played. He has the instincts and build of a true quarterback. Along with the impressive number of passing touchdowns, Mariota has run all over his opponents. Averaging 9.1 yards per rush, he has scored nine touchdowns taking the ball in himself. Mariota, like Winston and Manziel, is a young athlete proving his greatness.
The race for the Heisman is close, with athletes such as Manziel, Winston and Mariota leading the way. It will all come down to the final games of the season. A Heisman winner has to be well-rounded in all aspects of the game and prove his leadership. These three men go above and beyond expectations in all categories of the game. The winner will be the one who excels throughout the rest of the season, and we will find out who that is on Dec. 14.
