Can a True Freshman Win the Heisman Trophy?

The Heisman Memorial Trophy, awarded annually since 1935, is college football's most prestigious individual award. It recognizes the player who best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. For many years, the Heisman was primarily an upperclassman's award, with juniors and seniors dominating the winners' list. However, the landscape has shifted, opening the door, albeit narrowly, for younger players to contend for the coveted trophy.

Historical Trends and the Upperclassman Dominance

For the first 72 years of the Heisman Trophy, no sophomore had ever won the award. Prior to 2007, the Heisman Trophy was only won by upperclassmen - juniors and seniors. Instead, the trend has shifted drastically younger. The 1980s saw an increase in junior winners. It took 78 years for a newbie to take home the big bronze statue.

The Freshman Factor: A Changing Landscape

While true freshmen have historically faced an uphill battle, the evolving dynamics of college football suggest that their chances are improving. With the immense amount of media coverage throughout college football, voters are exposed to virtually every player in college football and practically into high school. Fans and voters know about the most talented of players as early as their freshman or sophomore year in high school. Social media has opened up so many new doors for schools and how they can campaign for their players to be considered for the Heisman.

The Rise of Early Exposure

The increased media coverage transforms college football, voters are exposed to virtually every player in college football and practically into high school. Fans and voters are aware of the most talented players as early as their freshman or sophomore year in high school.

Offensive Evolution and High-Scoring Games

In addition to the media coverage, offensive systems are evolving into high-powered machines, and teams are scoring upward of 40 or even 50 points per game. The evolution of offensive systems toward high-powered machines, where teams regularly score 40 or even 50 points per game, further enhances the potential for freshmen to make a significant impact and garner attention.

Read also: The Heisman and First-Year Players

The Quarterback Predicament

Hypothetically, if there ever was a true freshman to win the Heisman, it would probably be a quarterback. The QBs are the stars of college football now, more so than the running backs. Offenses are evolving, but true freshman quarterbacks still have the deck stacked against them. The youngest of Heisman winners - Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston - needed a redshirt year before getting the opportunity to compete on the field.

The Hurdles for Freshmen

It’s great to build up a player and talk about him making history, but you can’t ignore the factors going against Fournette and future true freshman Heisman candidates. The difficulty in making the transition from high school to college football is virtually unparalleled in other sports. Nothing can prepare you for your first year in the SEC, let alone in college football. The difference in size, speed and athleticism between college and high school competition is incomparable. It usually takes the best of freshman at least half a season or a full year to adjust, maybe even longer (see Dorial Green-Beckham).

Transitioning to College Football

The transition from high school to college football presents a unique challenge due to the significant differences in size, speed, and athleticism. Adjusting to this higher level of competition typically requires at least half a season or a full year, even for the most talented freshmen.

Notable Underclassmen and Near Misses

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. Peterson was a true freshman for Oklahoma. Several freshmen and sophomores have come close to winning the Heisman, finishing in the top three of the voting. These include:

Herschel Walker: Finished third in 1980.
Michael Vick: Finished third in 1999.
Adrian Peterson: Finished second in 2004.

Five players have finished in the top three of the Heisman voting as freshmen or sophomores before later winning the award: Angelo Bertelli, Glenn Davis, Doc Blanchard, Doak Walker, and Herschel Walker. Eight players have finished in the top three as freshmen or sophomores but never won a Heisman: Clint Castleberry, Marshall Faulk, Michael Vick, Rex Grossman, Larry Fitzgerald, Adrian Peterson, Deshaun Watson, and Christian McCaffrey.

Read also: Heisman Trophy History

Manziel's Historic Win

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel was the first freshman to win the Heisman in 2012. He joined John David Crow as one of two Texas A&M Aggies to win the Heisman. Manziel was the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, capturing the award in his redshirt year on the strength of remarkable performances on the ground and in the air.

Manziel's Rise to Fame

After redshirting in 2011, he burst on to the scene in 2012, piling up an SEC-record 4,600 yards of total offense while leading A&M to a 10-2 regular season record in its first season in the fabled league. Manziel threw for 3,419 yards and 24 touchdowns while adding 1,181 yards with 19 scores on the ground. The key game in his Heisman resume came when he led the Aggies to a 29-24 upset of No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, totaling 345 yards of total offense while ripping off several highlight-reel plays. For his efforts, he was named the SEC Freshman of the Year, the Davey O’Brien winner and the 77th recipient of the Heisman Trophy. He later led Texas A&M to a 41-13 smashing of Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl, as he produced 516 yards of offense and four touchdowns.

Manziel's Impact and Legacy

Manziel has been putting up numbers at a rate eclipsing nearly all dual-threat phenoms before him, and he is on pace to become the first player in S.E.C. He 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.

Jameis Winston and the Redshirt Freshman Success

In 2013, freshman Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston won the Heisman. Both were in their second year of college, having been redshirted during their first year of attendance, meaning that no true freshman has yet won the award.

Factors Influencing Heisman Voting

Several factors influence the Heisman voting process, including:

Read also: Jackson's Heisman Triumph

Media Coverage: Increased exposure through television and social media.
Offensive Performance: High-scoring offenses and record-breaking individual statistics.
Team Success: Playing for a nationally ranked team with College Football Playoff aspirations.
Position: Quarterbacks and running backs historically have the best chance of winning.

Regional Bias

Over the years, there has been substantial criticism of a regional bias, suggesting that the Heisman balloting process has ignored West Coast players. For Heisman voting purposes, the nation is divided into six regions-each of which get 145 votes. Put another way, each region gets exactly 16.67 percent of the votes. However, each region does not constitute an even one-sixth of the population. Three regions (Far West, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic) have larger populations than 16.67% of the national population; and three have less (Northeast, South, and Southwest).

The Heisman Trophy: More Than Just an Award

The Heisman Memorial Trophy (also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust following the regular season in December.

The Trophy Itself

The trophy, designed by sculptor Frank Eliscu, is modeled after Ed Smith, a leading player in 1934 for the now-defunct New York University football team. The trophy is made out of cast bronze, is 13.5 inches (34 cm) tall, 14 inches (36 cm) long, 16 inches (41 cm) in width and weighs 45 pounds (20 kg).

Voting Process

According to Heisman.com there are currently 57 prior winners eligible to vote and, thus, 57 potential votes. Except for the one vote based on the fan voting, the balloting is based on positional voting. Each voter identifies three selections, ranking them in order. Each first-place selection is awarded three points, each second-place selection is awarded two points, and each third-place selection is awarded one point.

Notable Heisman Winners

USC has won the most Heisman trophies with eight. Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame each have seven. Ohio State has had six different players win the award. The closest margin of votes was in 2009 between winner Mark Ingram II of Alabama and Toby Gerhart of Stanford. Ten Heisman Trophy winners are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Four winners have also been named Most Valuable Player in a Super Bowl. Some winners have gone on to play in other professional sports, including Bo Jackson in baseball and Charlie Ward in basketball.

Positions of Winners

The Heisman has usually been awarded an offensive back: either a running back or a quarterback. Very few players have won the trophy playing a position other than those two. Four wide receivers have been named winner: Tim Brown (1987), Desmond Howard (1991), DeVonta Smith (2020), and Travis Hunter (2024). Two tight ends have won the trophy, Larry Kelley (1936) and Leon Hart (1949). The highest finish ever for any individual who played exclusively on defense is second, by defensive end Hugh Green of Pittsburgh in 1980, linebacker Manti Teʻo of Notre Dame in 2012, and by defensive end Aidan Hutchinson of Michigan in 2021. Although John Heisman himself was an interior lineman, no interior lineman on either side of the ball has ever won the award.

Controversies and Changes

In 2010 University of Southern California athletic director Pat Haden announced the university would return its replica of the 2005 Heisman Trophy due to NCAA sanctions requiring the university to dissociate itself from Reggie Bush. The NCAA found that Bush had received gifts from an agent while at USC. On September 14, 2010, Bush voluntarily forfeited his title as a Heisman winner. On April 24, 2024, the Heisman Trust announced the formal reinstatement of Reggie Bush's trophy amid what it called "enormous changes in the college football landscape".

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