Evaluating Jeremiyah Love’s Heisman Hopes Alongside Notre Dame’s Greatest Backs Since Vagas Ferguson’s Top-Five Finish in 1979
The Heisman Trophy remains the pinnacle of individual achievement in college football, and for running backs, it’s an especially elusive honor in the modern era. With quarterbacks dominating the voting process in recent decades, it takes not only jaw-dropping statistics but also a perfect storm of team success, national visibility, and highlight-reel moments for a running back to truly emerge as a legitimate Heisman contender. At Notre Dame, a program steeped in history and tradition, the Heisman has been awarded to seven players—the second most of any school—but none of those have come from a running back since Johnny Lattner in 1953. Vagas Ferguson came close in 1979, finishing fifth, but since then, no Irish running back has cracked the Heisman top five. As we look ahead to the 2025 season, Jeremiyah Love finds himself in a position that invites a tantalizing question: could he break the decades-long drought and place himself in Heisman conversation?
To understand the magnitude of that possibility, it’s crucial to contextualize Love’s chances within the broader arc of Notre Dame’s running back history since Ferguson. From Allen Pinkett and Reggie Brooks to Josh Adams and Kyren Williams, several elite backs have worn the blue and gold, racked up yardage, and powered successful teams. Still, none have garnered enough national attention to seriously contend for the most prestigious award in college football. Love will need more than just talent—though he has plenty of that—he’ll need the right blend of narrative, performance, and team dominance.
Let’s start with the man who set the standard in 1979. Vagas Ferguson was a dynamic and consistent playmaker for the Irish, finishing his senior season with over 1,400 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. His electric ability to change games made him a household name, and he became the first Notre Dame player to rush for over 1,000 yards in multiple seasons. His fifth-place Heisman finish was a reflection of both individual production and Notre Dame’s national profile at the time.
Since Ferguson, several running backs have flashed brilliance, but only a few generated Heisman buzz, and none made it to the award’s final ceremony. Allen Pinkett in the mid-1980s was a force of nature, becoming Notre Dame’s first three-time 1,000-yard rusher. His consistency and knack for the end zone kept him on the national radar, yet he was overshadowed by the explosive offenses and quarterback-driven narratives of that era. Despite all his success, Pinkett’s best Heisman finish was eighth in 1985. His case speaks volumes about how difficult it is for a running back, even at Notre Dame, to crack the elite tier of Heisman voting.
The early 1990s offered a brief glimmer of hope in the form of Reggie Brooks, who in 1992 turned in one of the most efficient rushing seasons in program history. Averaging 8.0 yards per carry and scoring 13 touchdowns, Brooks was electric every time he touched the ball. He finished fifth in the nation in rushing despite splitting carries with Jerome Bettis. Brooks even finished fifth in Heisman voting—matching Ferguson—although he received far fewer first-place votes. That season is instructive: despite elite production and being a key cog on a 10-1-1 Notre Dame team, Brooks still couldn’t break into the top three of Heisman balloting.
Jerome Bettis himself never sniffed the Heisman conversation, even with his bruising style and NFL future clearly visible. The reason? A shared backfield, inconsistent quarterback play, and a team that never quite broke through to elite status during his time in South Bend. The lesson: even generational talents need the right situation to shine.
Fast-forward to the 2000s and early 2010s, and we find backs like Julius Jones, C.J. Prosise, and Theo Riddick—all talented, all productive, but none quite able to marry team dominance with individual stardom. Even Josh Adams, who in 2017 ran for 1,430 yards and 9 touchdowns on a playoff-contending Notre Dame team, couldn’t sustain Heisman momentum. That year, despite several 100+ yard performances and an iconic “33 Trucking” campaign launched by Notre Dame’s athletic department, Adams wasn’t invited to New York. Injuries and a late-season dip in production ultimately cost him, a pattern all too familiar for Irish backs.
Then came Kyren Williams, who in 2020 and 2021 emerged as a dynamic weapon both on the ground and through the air. His versatility and tenacity reminded many of past greats, and he played a central role in Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff berth in 2020. However, the COVID-impacted season lacked the full slate of games and media buzz necessary to fuel a Heisman campaign. Williams, while beloved by Notre Dame fans, never gained serious national traction for the award.
Enter Jeremiyah Love. A former top recruit with elite speed and breakaway ability, Love showed flashes of brilliance as a freshman and now enters 2025 poised to take on a lead role. What sets Love apart from some of his predecessors is a unique combination of acceleration, vision, and home-run potential—traits that not only lead to yards and touchdowns but also to viral highlights and national attention. In an era where social media plays an outsized role in shaping public perception, Love’s ability to generate splash plays could serve as the backbone of a Heisman campaign.
Of course, talent alone is not enough. Love’s Heisman hopes hinge largely on the success of Notre Dame as a team. Historically, Heisman winners (or serious contenders) are almost always playing for teams ranked in the top five to ten nationally. With a strong defense, experienced offensive line, and a capable quarterback, Notre Dame appears well-positioned to make a legitimate playoff push. If they do, and if Love is the engine behind the offense, his name will naturally rise in the conversation.
Statistical benchmarks also matter. To be taken seriously as a running back candidate in the current Heisman landscape, Love would likely need to surpass 1,800 total yards from scrimmage and reach at least 18-20 touchdowns. Those numbers are not out of the question, especially if he takes on kick return duties or is used more creatively in the passing game. Brian Kelly was often criticized for underutilizing star backs in space. Under Marcus Freeman and new offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, there’s reason to believe Love will be featured more prominently.
But even with gaudy numbers, Love will need moments—signature plays in nationally televised games that etch his name into the public consciousness. Think Reggie Bush’s sideline run against Fresno State, Derrick Henry’s domination of LSU, or Christian McCaffrey’s all-purpose brilliance against USC. For Love, opportunities will abound. Matchups against top-ranked opponents, primetime games on NBC, and possibly a playoff run all serve as platforms for Heisman-defining performances.
Another factor in Love’s favor is the relative lack of dominant returning running backs in 2025. With many top ballcarriers from 2024 off to the NFL, the door is open for a new face to emerge. Quarterbacks will still dominate the early conversation, but if Love comes out of the gate strong and Notre Dame wins, he could be one of the few backs to cut through the quarterback-heavy noise.
Love’s personality and character also matter more than people realize. The Heisman isn’t just about stats—it’s about representing the spirit of college football. By all accounts, Love is a grounded, humble, and hard-working player who embraces the responsibility of wearing the gold helmet. Those intangibles, coupled with the massive Notre Dame media machine, could elevate his profile significantly if the Irish get rolling.
None of this guarantees that Jeremiyah Love will be in New York come December. The odds are long. But for the first time in a while, Notre Dame has a running back with the right mix of talent, opportunity, and visibility to make a serious run. The legacy of Vagas Ferguson’s fifth-place finish still looms large, as does the near-miss by Reggie Brooks. But if Love can channel their greatness, stay healthy, and help lead Notre Dame to the playoff, he might just do something no Irish back has done in over 70 years: win the Heisman Trophy.
For now, the road remains uncertain. But Jeremiyah Love has the tools to leave his mark—not just on Notre Dame history, but on the entire college football world.
