Can a Freshman Win the Heisman? At 6-feet, Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel is noticeably shorter than Tim Tebow, who is 6-3, or Cam Newton (6-5). Yet in a couple of weeks, this probable All-S.E.C. quarterback could very well be looking down on his predecessors in the conference record books. 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. history to top both 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. He is not the only freshman quarterback breaking records. No. 2 Oregon's Marcus Mariota leads the nation in passing efficiency with a 72 percent completion rate and 28 touchdowns. He has attempted 78 runs, reeling off 6.6 yards a carry. And with most of Oregon's games well in hand early on, Mariota typically sits much of the second half. No doubt these players' numbers merit consideration for All-American teams. But are they good enough to win the Heisman Trophy? No freshman -- true or redshirt -- has won the sport's most prestigious award since 1972, when freshmen were first eligible to play on varsity N.C.A.A. teams. The three freshmen who finished highest in Heisman voting were Herschel Walker (third in 1980), Michael Vick (third in 1999) and Adrian Peterson (second in 2004). All three broke plenty of individual records, but they also led their teams to undefeated regular seasons and into the national championship game. Such success gave them cachet not normally