Johnny Football legend builds

Johnny Football legend builds

SEOOKE.com: Texas A&M fan Dale Johnson was enjoying the sunshine outside of Kyle Field this past weekend prior to Texas A&M's kickoff against Missouri, when the Edinburg resident brought up what plenty of others across the nation are discussing these days.

The phenomenon dubbed Johnny Football. And Johnson, 56, harkened to two prior A&M quarterbacks who captured Aggies' hearts during their tenures along Wellborn Road.

“You throw Bucky Richardson and Stephen McGee into a grinder,” Johnson said, “and you get Johnny Manziel.”

Manziel, in only a dozen starts, already has earned the adulation Richardson (1987-91) and McGee (2005-08) captured over a string of falls in Aggieland. One difference: Neither was a serious Heisman Trophy candidate, although Richardson finished 10th overall in 1991.

Meanwhile, Manziel, the 19-year-old hotshot from Kerrville Tivy, is a leading candidate, along with Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o and Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein. For Heisman voters late to the Manziel Magic, the 10-2 Aggies' 59-29 hammering of 5-7 Missouri on Saturday night provided a national stage for his exploits. “You can't teach what he does,” A&M senior receiver Kenric McNeal said of Manziel's combination of competitiveness and razor-sharp skills. “He deserves the Heisman — freshman or not.”

That last part, out of Manziel's control, seems to be the only thing some Heisman voters are holding against Manziel, the SEC's all-time total yards record-holder with 4,600. No freshman has won the 77 previous Heismans, this year to be announced Dec. 8.

Tom Rossley, then A&M's quarterbacks coach who recruited Manziel to College Station two years ago, compared Manziel to Brett Favre, whom Rossley coached at Green Bay. Alabama coach Nick Saban said Manziel reminded him of Doug Flutie. Now, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel added another great to the semblance list.

Manziel's next appearance will be in a bowl game, quite possibly the Capital One in Orlando or the Cotton in Dallas. Manziel hasn't been made available to the media this season per coach Kevin Sumlin's rules for newcomers, but he's scheduled to visit with reporters today and Tuesday. [MYSA]