Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Samoan in line for prestigious American football award

Posted at 06:58 on 04 December, 2012 UTC

A Samoan college football player in the United States, Manti Te’o, is one of three finalists for the prestigious Heismann Trophy Award.

Mr Teo is a linebacker for Notre Dame and is vying with the Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, and the Kansas quarterback Collin Klein.

The award will be presented on Saturday night in New York.

Mr Te’o, who had been a star player in Hawai’i, is trying to become the first defense-only player to win a Heisman and the 8th winner from Notre Dame.