Manziel, Joeckel pace haul for A&M

Awards

Fighting Irish dethrone defending champion Alabama in the BCS national championship game.

“I’m at a loss for words,” he said of winning the Maxwell. “The last time I ever dreamt of winning that award was on a video game. So to win it is a mind-blowing experience.”

Wearing a black beaded lei representing his native Hawaii, Te’o said coming back to play football following the deaths of his grandmother and girlfriend just four days apart this season makes everything he’s achieved since then more worthwhile.

Te’o finished the regular season with 103 tackles and seven interceptions.

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, who was presented with the Coach of the Year award after leading the Irish to their first 12-0 regular season since 1988, said Te’o is an example of the family culture he’s tried to build in his three seasons in South Bend.

“Everybody knows you