NEW YORK » The first time Johnny Manziel met Heisman Trophy rival Manti Te‘o it was with some trepidation.

“To see how he plays on the field, I thought he might be a guy — with how big he is and how intimidating he is — I thought he might be a guy like to stuff me in a locker and maybe beat me up a little bit,” Manziel said today.

Manziel, the Texas A&M quarterback known as “Johnny Football,” and Te‘o, Notre Dame’s Laie-born linebacker, met the Heisman media at a Times Square press conference after spending time Thursday at the Home Depot Awards ceremonies in Florida.

“I got to meet him last night before the awards ceremony and soon as the first time I talked to him I could just tell was going to get along with him,” Manziel said. “I really liked his personality and the way he was and the way he acted towards me.”

Manziel said they talked about their hometowns, football and the postseason awards experience.

They even talked a little about Alabama, the then No.1-ranked team Manziel beat that helped propel Notre Dame onto the top spot in the polls. Maziel said he might give Te‘o some inside insight before the Fighting Irish play Alabama in the Jan. 7 Bowl Championship Series title game in Miami.