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Home of the Heisman? Kerrville Catches Johnny Football Fever

Updated: Thursday, November 29 2012, 11:20 PM CST
You'll find Kerrville just 51 miles from Junction, where Bear Bryant - another larger than life Aggie carved out part of his A&M legacy.

"I got to be in what I believe was one of the best parts of the state of Texas: the hill country," said Manziel Tuesday in his first meeting with the television media all season.

Kerrville is a sleepy Texas town wide awake with Johnny Football fever.

Jim Muncie is the unofficial president of the Johnny Manziel fan club. He's so full of pride, he wants to scream it from a mountain top. So we let him. During our visit atop the highest point in Kerr County, Muncie gave Manziel praise loftier than a Johnny hail mary.

"I know this is out there a little bit but this is a Willie Mays, this is a Jim Brown, this is a Michael Jordan," said Muncie. "This is the best of the best."

During his senior season at Tivy high school, Manziel accounted for 75 touchdowns. He hasn't played for the Antlers since 2010, but Johnny Football is still scoring big in his hometown.

"That's all we do on Saturdays now is watch football," said Kerrville resident Vivian Gonzales.

From Classic's Burgers to Paw Paw's BBQ, you don't have to travel far to be served some Johnny Football fandom.

"We love it," said Robin McGough, a member of the Texas A&M class of 1992. "We love hearing Kerrville all the time. Tivy high school, Kerrville. It's great."

"It's a new thing for Kerrville that's for sure," said Kerrville resident Elizabeth Garza. "He's a great guy and good football player. I want to see where he goes from here."

"He was pretty wild in high school," said Joel Sample. "Pretty much, if  the ball if it wasn't in his hands I don't think he was happy."

It was here, at Antler Stadium where Manziel first began to open eyes with his jaw-dropping style of play. But the field is not the only place where Johnny Football's reckless abandon makes a splash.

"We were tubing down the Frio river when Johnny climbed up to the top of this tree," said Muncie. "Maybe there was four or five foot of water, maybe there wasn't. It was not 'Go Johnny Go' it was 'No Johnny No!"

"He's pretty much a celebrity in town," said Kerrville high school freshman Brendon Morales. "If you saw Johnny Manziel you couldn't hesitate to be like 'Oh hey Johnny, what's up?"

As his stats continue to pile up, Manziel's legend grows just as fast. A Houdini who's now the Heisman Trophy frontrunner; Kerrville's finest is at the center of the college football world. All the while his longtime fans feel like they're on top of the world.

"Just enjoy this right now, because it can't get any better," said Muncie.Home of the Heisman? Kerrville Catches Johnny Football Fever