Notre Dame Football: 5 players who were robbed of the Heisman Trophy

Notre Dame Football: 5 players who were robbed of the Heisman Trophy

1970: Joe Theismann-QB, 2nd Place

• 57% Completion Percentage, 2,429 Passing Yards, 16 Touchdowns

One of the funniest things about any player’s career is that Joe Theismann’s last name is actually pronounced ‘Theesman,’ but as part of a marketing campaign to help win him the Heisman trophy, it became standard to have it pronounced to rhyme with Heisman. From that point on in his career, through today, his last name would never go back to being pronounced ‘Theesman.’

Of course, he didn’t even end up winning the Heisman Trophy. That honor would go to Stanford’s Jim Plunkett.

The thing is, Theismann absolutely deserved to win the Heisman Trophy. If you look at the numbers on their face, they suffer from the era Theismann played, but the 1970 season was an amazing one for Theismann.

First, according to some selectors, this was a National Championship season, though Notre Dame doesn’t claim it officially. Second, they won the Cotton Bowl, beating a top-ranked Texas team to block the Longhorns from winning their own National Championship. Third, the offense was insanely talented, putting up more than 50 points twice and more than 30 points five times.

Even in their one loss, which cost Notre Dame an undisputed title, to USC, Theismann set a single-game passing record that stands today, with 526 yards.

It’s not like Theismann wasn’t highly decorated in 1970, as he would be named an All-American on his way to the College Football Hall of Fame. Still, the Heisman went to Plunkett. Plunkett had a 54.4% completion percentage, 2,980 yards, 19 TDs, and 19 INTs. That’s a lower completion percentage for around 500 more yards and three touchdowns more. It’s also worth five more interceptions than Theismann threw in 1970.

When you look at the two side by side, it feels unreasonable to argue a guy with a 1:1 TD to INT ratio should win the Heisman, even if it was a different era.