In Brian and Ottilia Te’o’s Laie home, we’re told, there is already a long bedroom shelf that fairly sags under the weight of the memorabilia from their son Manti’s celebrated football career.
So, as they embark on a cross-country tour of postseason award banquets with him over the next two weeks, the concern isn’t so much about whether Manti will win any of college football’s major awards, but where they might store the ones he does receive.
Asked if there is any more shelf space to be found, Brian said, "Definitely not. I don’t know what I’m going to do with (more). For now, it is going to have to go on the floor."
If so, the Te’o household could have the most prestigious door stops around, because Manti’s eye-opening senior season at Notre Dame already has made him a finalist for seven major individual awards. And it will likely be eight after the finalists for the Heisman Trophy are announced Monday.
The Heisman will be awarded next Saturday in New York.
SO, BETWEEN NOW and the Fighting Irish’s Jan. 7 appearance in the Bowl Championship Series national title game in Miami, there is a smorgasbord of hardware to be awarded. Some of it is bound to go Te’o’s way after a seven-interception, 103-tackle season that helped propel Notre Dame to the top of the polls.
There is the Maxwell Award (college player of the year), Butkus Award (outstanding linebacker), Chuck Bednarik Award (college defensive player of the year), Lott Impact Trophy (defensive player of the year), Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, Lombardi Trophy (outstanding lineman), Bronco Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player) and, of course, the Heisman, which ostensibly goes to the "outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity."
Last year, after one banquet, Brian recalled, "Manti handed a trophy over to my wife and I and said, ‘OK, you can take this home.’ I said, ‘Are you kidding me? It is heavy.’ We had to carry it on (the plane). With that experience, I’m kind of wondering how it is gonna be if he wins some of these awards."
And that’s not counting the All-America teams he is being voted to.
Brian said, "I think I’m gonna have to be like the FedEx guy."
THE EARLY December itinerary for Manti already includes stops in Charlotte, N.C.; New York,;Houston; Orlando, Fla.; and, when he is named a Heisman finalist, back to New York. It is a dizzying circuit and one that has so far managed to do what no opposing offense did in a 12-0 season: stump Te’o.
Asked if he knew all the cities he’ll be touching down in this month, Manti told a press conference, "No, not really. I just go where I’m told."
His one request? "I asked Coach (Brian) Kelly to make sure that there’s a gym in whatever place we stay, so when I come back I’m not a (defensive) lineman. That’s definitely something that I will do myself to make sure that I stay in shape."
Or maybe he could just bench press and curl some of the awards he is expected to receive.
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
