Don’t get me wrong, I think it will happen one day.
But if it’s not Jimmy Clausen, it might be a while.
The last Irish Heisman winner was Tim Brown in 1987. Before that, it was John Huarte in 1964. It was 23 seasons between Huarte and Brown and in 2010 it will be 23 seasons since Brown. That’s two Heismans in 46 years for a program that won six in the first 28 years of the award’s existence. Furthermore, only two Notre Dame players–Reggie Brooks and Brady Quinn–have finished in the top five of the voting since 1990. By the time the Irish win again, USC and Ohio State might have 10 each.
I think the next Irish Heisman winner will be the guy who brings Notre Dame ‘back’. But unless the Irish come ‘back’ under Charlie Weis, then it will take another coach to get it done. Changing coaches means program disruption and recruiting lapses and means the Heisman will take longer to attain.
Now, don’t scoff at the importance of the Heisman, for being able to win that trophy means your program is in pretty good shape. I don’t think the Irish will be considered an elite program until they start to produce viable Heisman candidates again.
I don’t know. Notre Dame has an inherent mystique about it. It doesn’t have to take long for ND to start producing winners and world class athletes. I’m not saying it will happen, just that it could happen very quickly. I’m not sold that Weis is the guy to bring back the glory, but I am not ready to dismiss him yet either. Parcell guys are usually not pretenders.