Ranking Heisman Trophy winners from 1-81
Johnny Manziel 2012 Season Statistics
- Games: 13
- Pass Completions: 295
- Pass Attempts: 434
- Passing Yards: 3,706
- Passing Yards Per Game: 285.1
- Passing Touchdowns: 26
- Interceptions: 9
- Rushing Attempts: 201
- Rushing Yards: 1,410
- Rushing Yards Per Game: 108.5
- Yards Per Carry: 7.0
- Rushing Touchdowns: 21
A relative unknown on the national level at the beginning of the season, Johnny Manziel burst onto the scene as an electric playmaker worthy of the nickname “Johnny Football” to become the first freshman in college football history.
After redshirting under Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman in 2011, Manziel won the starting quarterback job for new head coach Kevin Sumlin and led the Aggies to an 11-2 overall record in their first season in the SEC. A dual-threat weapon, Manziel accounted for an SEC-record 5,116 total yards with 3,706 coming through the air and 1,410 on the ground. Manziel threw 26 touchdown passes and scored 21 rushing TDs.
The second Texas A&M player ever to win the award, Manziel’s “Heisman Moment” occurred when the Aggies upset No. 1-ranked and eventual national champion Alabama 29-24 in Tuscaloosa. Manziel accounted for 345 total yards and threw two touchdown passes in the victory, including a play in which he scrambled, ran into an offensive lineman and fumbled, recovered and found a wide-open receiver in the end zone.
Manziel returned to College Station as a sophomore and threw for 4,114 yards and 37 touchdown passes with 759 rushing yards and nine TDs on the ground, but finished fifth in the Heisman voting behind redshirt freshman Jameis Winston. Johnny Football declared for the NFL Draft after posting a remarkable 9,989 total yards and 93 touchdowns in just two collegiate seasons.
Reggie Bush 2005 Season Statistics
- Games: 13
- Rushing Attempts: 200
- Rushing Yards: 1,740
- Rushing Yards Per Game: 133.8
- Yards Per Carry: 8.7
- Rushing Touchdowns: 16
- Receptions: 37
- Receiving Yards: 478
- Receiving Yards Per Game: 36.8
- Receiving Touchdowns: 2
- Passing: 0-for-2
- Kick Returns: 17.6 average on 28 returns
- Punt Returns: 9.9 average on 18 returns, 1 TD
It’s true that Reggie Bush is no longer an official Heisman Trophy winner as the result of an NCAA investigation that eventually led to heavy sanctions against USC. Bush forfeited award in 2010 and returned the trophy itself to the Heisman Trust in 2012.
However, despite the black eye on his legacy, it’s impossible to forget the incredible 2005 season that earned Bush Heisman recognition.
After helping USC win back-to-back national championships as multi-purpose offensive and special teams weapon in 2003 and 2004 (including a No. 5 finish in Heisman voting and consensus All-American recognition as a sophomore), Bush emerged as the nation’s best player as a junior. In 13 games, Bush amassed 1,740 rushing yards on just 200 carries, which gave him an average of 8.7 yards per carry that led the nation. Bush scored 16 touchdowns on the ground, was on the receiving end of two TD passes, and also contributed a TD on a punt return.
In addition to winning the Heisman in a landslide (Bush garnered 784 first-place votes while runner-up Vince Young had 79), Bush won the AP Player of the Year Award, the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and the Doak Walker Award. He was also selected as the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous first team All-American selection.
Though he split time at running back with LenDale White and only played three seasons for the Trojans, Bush finished his career in the top ten in total yardage all-time in college football history with 6,541 all-purpose yards.
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