The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a long history of greatness, one that spans over 180 years. Throughout that time, the Irish have claimed 11 national titles, had over 900 all-time wins, boast a 73% winning average, and homed the most All-Americans of any school.
But how many Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winners have there been? With one of the highest numbers of Heisman winners, the Fighting Irish have had seven decorated football athletes on their field. Discover the rich history of Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winners, from the first one in 1943 to the last one in 1987.
Angelo Bartelli, QB (1943)
Angelo Bartelli was the first Heisman Trophy winner for the blue and gold, appearing in only six games during the team’s 10-game season.
Bartelli started as a single-wing tailback, though Irish coach Frank Leahy quickly moved him to T-formation quarterback. During his sophomore year, he had a 56.9 percent passing average. As a junior, Bertelli passed for 1039 yards and 10 touchdowns in 1942.
Sportswriter Grantland Rice nicknamed him “the T-formation magician.” Before the Marine Corps activated Bertelli during his senior year in 1943, he played six games, in which he threw 36 passes, completing 25 with 10 touchdowns, which won him the Heisman Trophy.
Johnny Lujack, QB (1947)
The second Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner was Johnny Lujack, who took over as quarterback his sophomore year when Bertelli was recruited by the Marines. No small shoes to fill, Lujack was able to prove how integral of a player he was, leading the team to three national titles and establishing himself as one of the great T-formation signal-callers in college football history.
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While he won the trophy as a quarterback, one of Lujack’s most memorable plays happened when he was a defensive back. The second-ranked Notre Dame took on the first-ranked Army where Lujack preserved a scoreless tie by making a touchdown-saving tackle. In 1947, he led the team to a 9-0 victory, completing 61 passes for 777 yards, and won the Heisman Trophy.
Leon Hart, TE (1949)
This Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner was one of the best players on his high school football team. With Leon Hart on the varsity squad, the team didn’t lose a single game the entire four years he played. This led to numerous offers from colleges across the state, but Hart wanted to play for the legendary coach Frank Leahy.
Hart’s size, speed, and pass-catching abilities were unlike any player on the field. He was an effective blocker, valuable short-yardage fullback, and as-needed receiver. During his junior year, he helped the Fighting Irish set a new school record for rushing yards and finished undefeated.
In his senior year, Hart caught 19 passes for 257 yards and five touchdowns, rushed 18 times for 73 yards, and recovered three fumbles on defense. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1949, cementing himself as the largest winner in history at 6’5″, 260 pounds.
Johnny Lattner, RB (1953)
Born and raised in Chicago, the fourth Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner sought out a challenge when he joined Frank Leahy’s squad in 1950. Johnny Lattner was a single-wing tailback at Fenwich High, so he had his eyes set on attending the University of Michigan because they ran the single-wing, whereas Notre Dame was executing the T-formation. Nevertheless, Lattner was ready to try something new.
As a senior, Lattner carried 134 times for 651 yards, caught 14 passes for 204 yards, returned 8 kickoffs for 40 yards per return, and brought back 10 punts for a symmetrical 10 return yards. In the second-closest Heisman vote in history, Lattner beat out Paul Giel to win the award.
Paul Hornung, QB (1956)
Originally recruited by Bear Bryant for the University of Kentucky, Paul Hornung ended up attending Notre Dame instead. He went from a backup fullback as a sophomore to finishing fourth nationally in total offense with 1,215 yards as a junior.
During his senior year, the “Golden Boy” (a moniker given due to his curly blonde hair) had an impressive season. He carried the ball 94 times for 420 yards and completed 59 of 111 passes for 917 yards, totaling 1,337 yards, which ranked second nationally. This accounted for more than half of Notre Dame’s scoring that year, earning him the trophy.
John Huarte, QB (1964)
A graduate of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA, John Huarte didn’t have the strongest start for the Fighting Irish during his first two seasons. However, he turned that around by the time he was a senior in 1964. Huarte threw 2,062 yards, 16 touchdowns, and led Notre Dame to a 9-1 season.
One of his most notable achievements was Huarte’s 114 completions, given no other Notre Dame quarterback had completed 100 passes in a season up until that year. The 1964 Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner also still holds one of the best passing efficiency ratings at 144.7.
Tim Brown, WR (1987)
The seventh and final Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner is also the second wide receiver to win the award.
Nicknamed “Touchdown Timmy,” Brown set the freshman receiving record with 28 catches for 340 yards. His return ability was where he stood out the most, averaging 24 yards on kickoff returns his sophomore year. Brown had two kick return touchdowns as a junior, leading Notre Dame to a come-from-behind upset over USC that put him on Heisman voters’ radars.
During an early-season game in his senior year, Brown scored back-to-back punt return touchdowns, which led to his Heisman bid and eventual win in 1987.
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