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Which players in the SEC have posted the best individual Heisman seasons of all-time?
5. Herschel Walker, Georgia, 1982: After finishing runner-up to Marcus Allen in Heisman voting as a sophomore, Walker led the SEC champion Bulldogs during his junior season with 1,752 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns, garnering 386 more first-place votes than Stanford quarterback John Elway. Walker averaged 5.2 yards per carry for the Bulldogs who finished 11-1.
4. Bo Jackson, Auburn, 1985: Back to full strength as a senior, the Tigers’ multi-sport star rushed for 1,786 yards and 17 touchdowns as the SEC’s top offensive player. Jackson was drafted first overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the following spring.
3. Tim Tebow, Florida, 2007: This sophomore obliterated long-standing SEC records for total offense and rushing touchdowns with one of the most memorable single-seasons in college football history, providing the blueprint for zone-read SEC Heisman-winning quarterbacks of the future. Tebow accounted for 55 touchdowns (32 pass, 23 rush including bowl game) and 4,181 yards of offense as the third Florida quarterback to win the Heisman (Danny Wuerffel, Steve Spurrier).
2. Cam Newton, Auburn, 2010: In his only season with the Tigers, the future No. 1 pick shattered Tebow’s SEC record for total offense with 4,327 yards along with 51 touchdowns (30 pass, 21 rush) for the unbeaten national champions. Newton’s 1,473 yards rushing is the most ever by an SEC quarterback.
1. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M, 2012: One of the most electrifying players in the last century at his position, Manziel established a new SEC record for total offense (move over, Cam) that won’t soon be matched as a freshman and re-invented how quarterback is played in the spread era with an ability to keep plays alive with his feet. Thanks to a jaw-dropping Cotton Bowl performance against Oklahoma, Manziel finished with 47 touchdowns (37 pass, 21 rush) and 5,116 yards of total offense (3,706 pass; 1,410 rush).
Just missed the cut: Mark Ingram, Alabama, 2009; Danny Wuerffel, Florida, 1996; Frank Sinkwich, Georgia, 1942.
