Notre Dame has seven Heisman Trophy winners, tied with Ohio State and Oklahoma for second most of any program, and four of them came in a seven year stretch under Frank Leahy. The seventh was Tim Brown in 1987. Nobody from Notre Dame has won since, a gap that is now 38 years and the longest in the program’s history.
| Year | Player | Position | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Angelo Bertelli | Quarterback | Frank Leahy |
| 1947 | Johnny Lujack | Quarterback | Frank Leahy |
| 1949 | Leon Hart | End | Frank Leahy |
| 1953 | Johnny Lattner | Halfback | Frank Leahy |
| 1956 | Paul Hornung | Quarterback | Terry Brennan |
| 1964 | John Huarte | Quarterback | Ara Parseghian |
| 1987 | Tim Brown | Wide receiver | Lou Holtz |
The Leahy Four
Angelo Bertelli won in 1943 despite playing only six games before being called to the Marine Corps mid season. His backup, Johnny Lujack, took over, won the national title, and then won his own Heisman four years later after returning from naval service. Leon Hart in 1949 remains one of only two linemen ever to win the award. Johnny Lattner in 1953 won without leading his own team in rushing, passing or receiving, which has never happened since.
Four winners in eleven seasons, on teams that won four national championships and went 36 games unbeaten from 1946 to 1949. No coach has produced more Heisman winners in a comparable span.
Paul Hornung, 1956
Hornung won on a team that went 2 and 8, the only Heisman winner ever from a losing team. He played quarterback, kicked, punted and returned kicks, and voters rewarded the versatility. He went first overall in the NFL draft to Green Bay and won four championships under Vince Lombardi.
John Huarte, 1964
Huarte had thrown 50 passes in his career before Ara Parseghian’s first season, then threw for 2,062 yards and 16 touchdowns as Notre Dame went from 2 and 7 to 9 and 1 and led the nation for most of the year. He was not even the first quarterback taken in his own NFL draft class.
Tim Brown, 1987
Brown was the first wide receiver to win the Heisman, four years before Desmond Howard became the second. He returned two punts for touchdowns in the first quarter against Michigan State, ran back kickoffs, and accounted for more than 1,800 all purpose yards. He went sixth overall and played 17 NFL seasons, and both he and Desmond Howard are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The 38 Year Wait
Notre Dame has not had a Heisman winner since 1987, the longest gap in program history and one of the longest among the sport’s traditional powers. Several came close. Raghib Ismail finished second to Ty Detmer in 1990 in a vote that is still argued. Brady Quinn was third in 2006 and Manti Te’o second in 2012, the highest a purely defensive player had finished until Charles Woodson. Jeremiyah Love was third in 2025.
Our Heisman winners by year page has every recipient since 1995.
Notre Dame Against the Field
USC leads all programs with eight winners. Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oklahoma have seven each. The Notre Dame and USC rivalry has produced fifteen Heismans between the two schools, more than any other pairing. Our Notre Dame vs USC page covers that series.
The Bottom Line
Notre Dame has seven Heisman Trophy winners: Angelo Bertelli, Johnny Lujack, Leon Hart, Johnny Lattner, Paul Hornung, John Huarte and Tim Brown. Four came in eleven seasons under Frank Leahy, and Hornung remains the only winner from a losing team. The wait since Tim Brown in 1987 is now 38 years, the longest in the program’s history.