- Johnny Manziel’s 2012 Heisman season combined 3,706 passing yards with 1,410 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns.
- Bleacher Report compared Manziel’s rushing output to 2025 Heisman finalist Jeremiyah Love, highlighting Manziel’s dual-threat impact.
- Manziel’s efficiency — 1,410 rushing yards on 201 carries (7.0 YPC) — keeps his season among the all-time Heisman campaigns.
H2: Manziel vs. Love — numbers that turn heads
Johnny Manziel’s redshirt-freshman Heisman-winning season in 2012 still reads like a statistical outlier. He threw for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 1,410 yards and 21 scores on just 201 carries — an average of seven yards per carry. That balance of elite passing production and dominant rushing numbers is rare for a quarterback at any level.
In 2025, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love emerged as a Heisman finalist after a prolific rushing season: 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 199 carries (6.9 YPC). Bleacher Report’s recent comparisons — pointing out that Manziel actually out-rushed Love despite being a quarterback — reignited debates about where Manziel’s season ranks among the greatest Heisman campaigns.
H3: Why the 2012 season still stands out
Context matters. Manziel produced those numbers while serving as the Aggies’ primary passer and playmaker. Quarterbacks who shoulder heavy passing responsibilities rarely match the rushing numbers of position-only backs. Manziel’s blend of downfield playmaking (3,706 passing yards) and game-breaking runs (1,410 rush yards) created a level of offensive versatility that few Heisman winners have matched.
Manziel’s efficiency — converting carries into chunk plays and touchdowns — amplified his value. His 21 rushing scores were not garbage-time padding; they came in high-leverage situations and often changed games.
H4: The 2025 Heisman field and fresh comparisons
The 2025 finalists — Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State QB Julian Sayin, Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia and Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love — all led double-digit-win seasons. Mendoza and Sayin moved their teams toward College Football Playoff berths, while Love’s workhorse rushing season earned him national attention.
The comparison with Manziel doesn’t diminish Love’s season. It simply highlights how extraordinary it is for a quarterback to reach those rushing totals while also posting elite passing numbers.
H5: Where Manziel’s season ranks historically
Outside of Cam Newton’s 2010 Heisman run, Manziel’s 2012 campaign remains one of the most complete seasons by a Heisman winner. It’s the combination — passing volume, rushing dominance, and explosive playmaking — that cements its legacy.
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Bottom line: Manziel’s 2012 season remains a benchmark for dual-threat quarterbacks — a rare blend of passing volume and elite rushing production that still sparks comparison to the country’s best playmakers today.
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