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 Even so, he had a tough time processing this victory.
The senior linebacker was "at a loss for words" after capturing the Maxwell Award as the nation's most outstanding player, one of three honors he received at the 22nd Home Depot College Football Awards show Thursday night at Disney World.
"The last time I ever dreamt of winning that award was on a video game," he said. "So to win it is a mind-blowing experience."
Te'o now has won six major awards since the end of Notre Dame's regular season, also taking home the Bednarik Award for top defensive player and Walter Camp Foundation player of the year award on Thursday. He became the first defensive player to win the Maxwell Award since 1980, ending a string of nine straight quarterbacks.
Next up is the Heisman Trophy ceremony on Saturday night, with Te'o and Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel considered the favorites. Then Te'o will try to help the Fighting Irish dethrone defending champion Alabama in the BCS national championship game.
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.
"I never thought that me coming back for my senior year would be the best situation for me with the tragedy," Te'o said. "It's a testament that the Lord answered my prayers and that I had 80-plus brothers there with me, sacrificing for me."
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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 don't do it with one guy," Kelly said. "Collectively, everybody just bought in. ... We still got one (game) left. We want to finish it off the right way."
While Te'o and Notre Dame certainly had a big night, so did Texas A&M. Manziel won the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and junior offensive lineman Luke Joeckel took home the Outland Trophy for the nation's best interior lineman.
Other players honored Thursday were Southern California's Marqise Lee, who
won the Biletnikoff Award for top receiver; Tulane's Cairo Santos, with the Lou Groza Award for top kicker; Louisiana Tech's Ryan Allen,
winner of the Ray Guy Award for top punter; Mississippi State's Johnthan Banks,
with the Jim Thorpe Award for top defensive back; and Wisconsin's Montee Ball,
who won the Doak Walker Award for top running back.
[Associated
Press; By KYLE HIGHTOWER]
Copyright 2012 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
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