COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The legend of Johnny Football has grown all season while Johnny Manziel piled up yards and the Texas A&M Aggies piled up victories.
On Monday, the freshman quarterback finally weighed in on his catchy nickname as he spoke to the media for the first time all season.
“I think a lot of people here in Aggieland enjoy it,” he said. “But I find it extremely funny.”
The success of Manziel and the Aggies is no joke. His 4,600 yards of total offense have helped No. 9 Texas A&M to its first 10-victory season since 1998, and has him among the top contenders for the Heisman Trophy.
Manziel said he respected Coach Kevin Sumlin’s decision for him not to speak to the media this season because he’s a freshman. But he’s happy to have a chance to talk about this season.
“It’s kind of nice now to be able to kind of let you guys know how I am a little bit more,” he said. “ There’s so many question marks out there.”
Sumlin, who is in his first year at A&M after four seasons at Houston, raved about Manziel and said he was a catalyst for what his team was able to do in its first season in the SEC.
“He’s a tremendous competitor and a tremendous leader, and that’s something that you really don’t see in a player as a redshirt freshman,” Sumlin said. “His leadership on and off the field throughout the season has made our season a real successful one.”
Manziel has thrown for 3,419 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed for 1,181 yards and 19 more scores in a regular season the Aggies capped with five consecutive victories, including an upset of then-top-ranked Alabama. He is second in the nation in total offense and broke Cam Newton’s SEC record for total offense in a season Saturday.
Manziel, who will turn 20 two days before the Dec. 8 Heisman announcement, said he’s still surprised when people approach him at restaurants and other places around College Station to ask for photos and autographs, even though it’s become a daily occurrence.
“I don’t see myself as Johnny Football,” Manziel said. “I still see myself as Jonathan Manziel, a small-town guy from Kerrville who is extremely fortunate and extremely blessed to be able to play football here at A&M.”
Manziel said winning the Heisman is something he dreamed about as a child. He said he’d play college football video games and build a quarterback that would win the award as a freshman. Funny thing is, the players he made rarely resembled his 6-1, 200-pound build.
“When I created a video game player I probably made him 6-6, probably 230 pounds,” he said. “I definitely didn’t make him my size. But I’ve played so many video games maybe a few times I did. But typically I would have made him look something like Cam Newton.”
Newton was the last SEC winner of the Heisman, picking it up in 2010.
Manziel has trouble grasping the whirlwind this season has been for him, and considers himself lucky to have had the opportunity to be in the position he’s in now.
“This season has been incredibly surreal,” he said. “It’s beyond my wildest imagination.”
It’s a true testament to how this team has grown every week, because without these guys none of my individual success would be anything.”
Sports, Pages 15 on 11/27/2012