The Elusive True Freshman Heisman: A Look at College Football's Ultimate Prize

The Heisman Trophy, awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football, stands as the pinnacle of individual achievement in the sport. Established in 1935 and administered by the Heisman Trophy Trust, the award honors players who demonstrate extraordinary skill, consistency, and sportsmanship, becoming key contributors to their teams. Named after John W. Heisman, a pioneer in the sport, the trophy depicts a football player in a stiff-arm pose, designed by sculptor Frank Eliscu.

The 2024 Heisman Trophy ceremony approaches, igniting excitement among college football enthusiasts. This prestigious event celebrates the top college football players who have demonstrated extraordinary skill and consistency throughout the season. The Heisman Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football season.

The Heisman Landscape: A Historical Overview

The Heisman Trophy has a rich history, with the first award presented in 1935 to Jay Berwanger of the University of Chicago. Berwanger was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles but declined to sign for them. He never played professional football for any team. The first African American player to win the Heisman was Syracuse's Ernie Davis. In 1936, following the death of John Heisman, the Downtown Athletic Club (DAC) renamed the DAC Trophy in his honor and expanded the award to recognize players nationwide. The award was first presented in 1935 by the Downtown Athletic Club (DAC) in New York City, a privately owned recreation facility located on the lower west side near the later World Trade Center site. It was first known simply as the DAC Trophy. The first winner, Jay Berwanger, was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles but declined to sign for them. He never played professional football for any team. The first African American player to win the Heisman was Syracuse's Ernie Davis, who never played a snap in the NFL. He was diagnosed with leukemia shortly after winning the award and died in 1963. In 1966, former Florida Gators quarterback Steve Spurrier gave his Heisman trophy to university president J.

USC has the most Heisman trophies won 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, and 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. The trophy itself, 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). Eliscu had asked Smith, his former George Washington High School classmate, to pose for a commissioned sculpture of a football player. Smith did not realize until 1982 that the sculpture had become the Heisman Trophy.

The Heisman Trophy, one of the highest individual awards in American college football, has been awarded annually since its creation in 1935. The DAC Trophy was established in 1935 by the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City to recognize the best college football player "east of the Mississippi River." In that inaugural year, the award went to Jay Berwanger from the University of Chicago. In 1936, the club's athletic director, football pioneer John Heisman, died and the trophy was renamed in his honor. Larry Kelley, the second winner of the award, was the first to win it as the "Heisman Trophy." In addition to the name change, the award also became a nationwide achievement.

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The Voting Process: How a Heisman Winner is Crowned

Finalists are chosen through a voting process involving sports journalists, former winners, and fans. Except for the one vote based on the fan voting, the balloting is based on positional voting, whereby 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. The Heisman has usually been awarded either to a running back or a quarterback; very few players have won the trophy playing a position other than those two. The ballots are split into six regions (Far West, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, South, Southwest), and six regional representatives are selected to appoint voters in their states. Each region has 145 media votes, for a total of 870 votes. In addition, all previous Heisman winners may vote, and one final vote is counted through public balloting. The Heisman ballots contain a 3-2-1 point system, in which each ballot ranks the voter's top three players and awards them three points for a first-place vote, two points for a second-place vote, and one point for a third-place vote.

Quarterbacks and Running Backs Dominate

The Heisman has usually been awarded either to a running back or a quarterback; very few players have won the trophy playing a position other than those two. Over the award’s history there have been 38 quarterbacks to win (the most recent being LSU’s Jayden Daniels in 2023). There have been 44 running backs/half backs/fullbacks to win (the most recent was Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015). Just four wide receivers have won the Heisman (Alabama’s DeVonta Smith won in 2020, breaking a near 30-year drought for the position). There have only been two tight ends to win the award, both of whom won before 1950. Just one defensive player, Michigan’s Charles Woodson, has won the Heisman (1997). The Heisman is typically viewed as a quarterback award nowadays, with 20 signal callers having won since 2000. Considering the quarterback is the lone player to touch the football on every play, there’s certainly some justification for the position dominating the award in recent years.

The Underclassman Revolution: A Shift in Heisman History

For most of its history, most winners of the Heisman have been seniors. Prior to 2007, the Heisman Trophy was only won by upperclassmen - juniors and seniors. That means it took 73 years for one sophomore to take home college football’s most coveted individual award. Since Tim Tebow, we’ve been more likely to see a freshman or sophmore win the Heisman than a junior or senior - a stunning reversal of the award’s first 71 years. A natural byproduct of more underclassmen winning the Heisman has been that Heisman winners, on average, are getting younger and younger. Perhaps the most surprising development given the awards history. The most recent senior to win the Heisman before this drought was Troy Smith in 2006. The player who broke that drought, Baker Mayfield, was a former walk-on (non-scholarship) athlete, making him the first Heisman winner to start his college career in that fashion.

The period between 2007 and 2017 has been, arguably, the most interesting and unpredictable span in the history of the Heisman Trophy. Starting in 2007 with Tim Tebow, the following has occurred: This accomplishment by Manziel in 2012 was even more shocking than Tebow’s given that hardly anyone knew about the Aggies quarterback heading into the season.

The True Freshman Hurdle: A Barrier Yet to be Broken

Winning the Heisman Trophy as a freshman is no less than an extraordinary achievement. As of December 2024, no true freshman has ever won the Heisman Trophy. A true freshman has never won the Heisman Trophy, and only two players have won it as a redshirt freshman.

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Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel was the first freshman to win the Heisman in 2012. Heisman TrophySportCollege footballAwarded forOutstanding performance which best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( HYZE-mən; 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. Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy. Manziel’s season included 3,419 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, complemented by 1,181 rushing yards and 19 scores on the ground. His most defining moment came in a 29-24 upset victory over No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he delivered 345 yards of total offense. Manziel returned for another impressive season in 2013, finishing as a Heisman finalist and recording a two-year total of 9,989 yards and 93 touchdowns.

The youngest of Heisman winners - Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston - needed a redshirt year before getting the opportunity to compete on the field. Both Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M in 2012 and Jameis Winston of Florida State in 2013 achieved this milestone during their redshirt first-year seasons.

Johnny Manziel: The Trailblazer

11/1/2008Texas A&M won its first Heisman since 1957. Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy. "Johnny Football" played just two seasons of college ball before moving on to the NFL, where his career has gotten off to a rocky start. His first NFL start, a 30-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 14 last season, was dreadful. He followed up his rookie season with a 10-week stay in rehab.

Manziel, playing for the Aggies, compiled 4,600 yards of total offense (3,419 yards passing, 1,181 yards rushing) while leading the Aggies Texas A&M to a 10-2 record. Manziel would pass for 24 touchdowns while running for another 19. Manziel's Heisman Trophy winning campaign was cemented in a game against Alabama, where he led his team to a 29-24 upset. Manziel would do even better in 2013, throwing for 4,114 yards and rushing for 759 more, and would declare for the NFL draft after the season.

Jameis Winston: Following in Manziel's Footsteps

Winston became the second freshman to win the Heisman Trophy in 2013. Jameis Winston would also win the Heisman Trophy as a redshirt freshman. 2013 was a dream season for Winston and Florida State, as the team would win the BCS title. Winston would finish with 38 touchdowns, 3,820 yards and a pass efficiency rating of 190.04, which was one of the highest in history. Winston would finish his career 26-1 as a starter before eventually declaring for the NFL draft following his sophomore year. At just 19 years and 342 days old, Winston edged out Mark Ingram as the youngest recipient of the award.

Winston delivered a national title to Florida State and won the Heisman Trophy in the process, and then followed that up by getting the Seminoles into the first-ever College Football Playoff. Winston became the 20th Heisman Trophy winner (and eighth Heisman-winning quarterback) to become a No. 1 overall selection in the NFL draft. After a slow start to his rookie season, Winston improved his play and earned a Pro Bowl nod as an injury replacement. Winston's 4,042 passing yards are the third-most by a rookie in NFL history and his 22 touchdown passes are tied for the fourth-most by a rookie in NFL history. . In Week 11, Winston threw five touchdowns with no interceptions and joined Ray Buivid (Dec.

Obstacles for True 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).

The Impact of Rule Changes and Evolving Offenses

Many of these items can be chalked up to the changes that have occurred in college football during this same stretch, whether it be the implementation of spread offenses, the evolution of press coverage in the information age, the online explosion of high school recruiting content, the ever-pervasive influence of social media or the continually-improving athletic and skill levels of the players themselves.

Offensive systems are evolving into high-powered machines, and teams are scoring upward of 40 or even 50 points per game. 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 "Heisman Moment": Defining a Campaign

Manziel’s season included 3,419 passing yards and 24 touchdowns, complemented by 1,181 rushing yards and 19 scores on the ground. His most defining moment came in a 29-24 upset victory over No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he delivered 345 yards of total offense.

The Heisman's Legacy: More Than Just an Award

More Heisman Trophy winners have gone undrafted (15) than have made the Pro Football Hall of Fame (9, with the induction of Tim Brown this year).

Looking Ahead: Will a True Freshman Ever Break Through?

So what does the next decade hold? Will we see a two-time, or even a three-time, Heisman winner? Will a true freshman finally win? While it remains to be seen whether a true freshman will ever claim the Heisman, the evolving landscape of college football suggests that anything is possible.

Past Controversies and Forfeitures

On June 10, 2010, following several years of investigation, the NCAA announced that USC running back Reggie Bush, the 2005 Heisman trophy winner, received gifts from agents while still in college. The university received major sanctions, and there were reports that the Heisman Trophy Trust would strip his award. In September of that year, Bush voluntarily forfeited his title as the 2005 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".

The Heisman and the NFL Draft

Manziel and Winston remain the only two freshmen to have ever won the Heisman Trophy award. Both men were the top picks in their respective NFL Drafts, and both men underperformed expectations (especially Manziel, who fizzled out quickly). NFL draft: 2002, Round 3, No. 95 overall to St. Crouch was a wonder to watch running Nebraska's option offense, but was considered too short (6-foot-0) to play quarterback at the next level. However, teams were intrigued by his athleticism (he is just one of three quarterbacks in FBS history to have 3,000-plus yards rushing and 4,000-plus yards passing in a career). The Rams took a chance on Crouch -- the wide receiver -- in the third round of the 2002 draft. Injuries kept Crouch from ever playing a down in the NFL. NFL draft: 2014, Round 1, No. NFL draft: 2007, Round 5, No. Smith won the Heisman by a healthy margin over Darren McFadden and Brady Quinn, and then had his college career conclude in a national title game nightmare against Florida. Smith completed just four of 14 passes for 35 yards, had an interception and a fumble, and was sacked five times as OSU fell 41-14 to Florida. Smith's draft stock dropped considerably as a result. In 1993, Florida State finally got over the hump. After a series of heartbreaking defeats against the Hurricanes, FSU finally beat in-state rival Miami, ending a 31-game regular-season win streak for "The U". Ward delivered Florida State's first national title and became the school's first Heisman winner (it's also notable that he beat Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk in the Heisman voting). Had Ward been born 20 years later, he might have been considered a stronger NFL prospect. Instead, Ward was a first-round pick of the NBA's New York Knicks. NFL draft: 1993, Round 7, No. As Miami's starting quarterback in 1991 and 1992, Torretta led the Hurricanes to 23 consecutive wins before falling to Alabama in the de facto national title game, the 1993 Sugar Bowl. NFL draft: 2001, Round 4, No. Weinke took Florida State to consecutive national title games, winning one against Michael Vick-led Virginia Tech but losing the next year to Josh Heupel-led Oklahoma. With the Panthers, Weinke was the primary starting quarterback during the team's disastrous 1-15 season in 2001 (that debacle of a season did, however, net the team Julius Peppers in the 2002 NFL Draft). NFL draft: 1995, Round 1, No. This is the year Steve McNair probably should have won the Heisman Trophy. However, coming out of tiny Alcorn State hindered McNair's chances, despite the backing of a well-known sports publication. Salaam led the nation with 2,055 yards and 24 touchdowns rushing for a Colorado team that finished 11-1. Salaam did rush for 1,074 yards as a rookie with the Bears, but his favorite play was the fumble (he had 9 that season). NFL draft: 1992, Round 9, No. Detmer's Heisman-winning season ranks as one of the greatest ever put together by a quarterback, throwing for 5,188 yards and 41 touchdowns in 12 games. During that epic campaign, Detmer led a 28-21 upset of top-ranked Miami, throwing for 406 yards and three touchdowns in the process. Detmer finished his career at BYU with 15,031 yards and 121 touchdowns passing. However, his 6-foot-1 stature meant a profound fall in the 1992 draft. Detmer's arrival in Green Bay coincided with that of Brett Favre. With Favre embarking on a run that saw him start every game for the Packers for the next 16 years, Detmer was relegated to a backup role before going to the Philadelphia Eagles. NFL draft: 1997, Round 4, No. Wuerffel enjoyed a decorated career with the Gators, guiding the team to four consecutive SEC titles. Wuerffel capped his college career with a Heisman Trophy and a victory in the 1996 national championship game, an authoritative 52-20 win over in-state rival Florida State in the 1997 Sugar Bowl. Wuerffel bounced around in the NFL, spending four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, one with the Green Bay Packers, one with the Chicago Bears and his final season (2002) with the Washington Redskins (who were coached by Wuerffel's college coach, Steve Spurrier). NFL draft: 2015, Round 1, No. After becoming the first Oregon player -- as well as Hawaii-born athlete -- to win the Heisman Trophy, Mariota directed the Ducks to the first College Football Playoff championship game, where it was defeated by Ohio State. While the Titans have struggled to attain victories in his first NFL season, Mariota is developing into the familiar high-octane offensive threat that characterized his career at Oregon. In Week 9, Mariota became the first rookie QB with two games with at least four touchdown passes. NFL draft: 2015, Round 1, No. NFL draft: 2010, Round 1, No. 1 overall to St. Bradford won the Heisman as a redshirt sophomore, becoming just the second sophomore (after Tim Tebow) to win the award. Then, he had his Heisman season conclude with a loss to Tebow and Florida in the BCS title game. Rather than enter the 2009 draft, Bradford returned for a third season at OU, but in a sign of things to come, he played in just three games during an injury-riddled season. Bradford did start every game in two of his five seasons with the Rams (2010 -- when he earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors -- and 2012). An ACL tear in the third preseason game of 2014 effectively ended Bradford's tenure in St. Louis, precipitating an offseason trade to the Philadelphia Eagles. NFL draft: 2011, Round 1, No. Ingram has the honor of being the last non-quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy, doing so in the closest vote in the award's history, edging Stanford's Toby Gerhart. He was also the first Heisman winner for Alabama, which went on to win the national title that season. NFL draft: 2006, Round 1, No. Leinart earned his Heisman on a ballot that included such notables as Adrian Peterson, Alex Smith, Reggie Bush and Aaron Rodgers. After having led USC to consecutive national titles, Leinart returned for a shot at a third. However, he -- and 2005 Heisman winner Reggie Bush -- were defeated in an epic title game showdown by Texas and the heroics of quarterback Vince Young. NFL draft: 2000, Round 1, No. Dayne's brilliant career in Madison included two Rose Bowl wins and finishing with 6,397 yards rushing, an FBS record that still stands. In 2000, Dayne was "Thunder" to Tiki Barber's "Lightning" as the New York Giants reached Super Bowl XXXV. NFL draft: 2012, Round 1, No. RGIII's dual-threat capabilities netted him 47 total TDs during his Heisman-winning season (37 by air, 10 by ground). His electric style of play prompted the Redskins to make a blockbuster trade with the St. Louis Rams to move up in the 2012 NFL Draft and into the No. 2 spot. In his rookie season, RGIII did not disappoint, earning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, becoming a Pro Bowl selection and leading the Redskins to the playoffs. However, all that immediate glory came at a huge price. RGIII's style of play made him injury-prone. During the Redskins' playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, RGIII suffered a major knee injury. NFL draft: 2010, Round 1, No. Tebow is one of the most decorated college football players in the game's history. He was a starter in Florida's 2009 national championship win and a major contributor in the 2007 title-winning season as a freshman. In 2011, Tebow's penchant for late-game heroics inspired the phrase "Tebow Time." After a 1-4 start, the Broncos inserted Tebow as the starter and the team finished 8-8, winning the AFC West. Tebow then delivered a dramatic wild-card playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. NFL draft: 1992, Round 1, No. Howard won the Heisman in large part due to his dynamic talents as a receiver and return specialist. He ultimately capped the award-winning season by producing one of the seminal moments in Michigan football history. He scored 23 touchdowns in 1991 for the Wolverines, including 19 receiving. Howard's NFL career wasn't quite as productive. NFL draft: 2006, Round 1, No. Despite being the first Heisman Trophy winner to have to forfeit his award, Bush's accomplishments on the field at both USC and in the NFL are worthy of a lofty place on this list. NFL draft: 1999, Round 1, No. Williams rushed for 2,327 yards and 29 touchdowns during his Heisman Trophy-winning season. The next spring, the Saints traded all of their remaining 1999 draft selections in order to move into position to pick Williams. His career in New Orleans wasn't what was expected (though, he did have two 1,000-yard rushing seasons) and he was traded to the Miami Dolphins, for whom he led the NFL in rushing yards (1,853) in 2002. NFL draft: 2003, Round 1, No. Palmer parlayed his successful college career -- during which he helped turn USC into a national powerhouse -- into a productive career in the NFL. Palmer was provided with a great (and nowadays very rare) luxury as an NFL rookie, he took a "redshirt" season and was allowed to develop for a year while Jon Kitna took every snap for the Bengals in 2003. In 2005, Palmer delivered the team's first playoff appearance in 15 years. Much like he did at USC, Palmer helped turn the fortunes of the Bengals around. He's done much the same in Arizona, where the Cardinals have made consecutive playoff appearances. NFL draft: 2011, Round 1, No. Newton initially went to Florida, but got suspended from the team. He then transferred to Binn College in Texas, where he led the team to the 2009 NJCAA National Football Championship. A year later, he was guiding Auburn to the national championship after winning the Heisman Trophy. As a rookie, Newton earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Newton also has guided the Panthers to consecutive playoff appearances in 2013 and 2014, helping the team become the first from the NFC South to win back-to-back division crowns. NFL draft: 1996, Round 1, No. George's school-record 1,927 yards and 24 TDs rushing earned him the Heisman, just barely beating Nebraska QB Tommie Frazier (this is noteworthy, because Frazier was awesome). In the NFL, George was a workhorse. In eight of his nine seasons, George toted the ball 300 or more times. He posted seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He is probably best known for his efforts in helping lead the Tennessee Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV. George is only the second NFL running back to get to 10,000 yards rushing while never missing a start. The other? NFL draft: 1998, Round 1, No. When Tim Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame over the summer, he became the ninth Heisman winner to be enshrined in Canton. Five years after he retires, Woodson will make it an even 10. Woodson was the first -- and still only -- primarily defensive player to win the Heisman. With 65 career NFL interceptions, Woodson is tied for fifth on the NFL's all-time list. He's returned 11 of those interceptions for TDs, just one short of Rod Woodson's NFL record. During his career rebirth in Green Bay, Woodson earned NFL Defensive POY honors in 2009, one of two seasons in which he led the NFL in interceptions as a Packer.

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