There was a time when Notre Dame quarterbacks automatically became Heisman candidates just by enrolling. If the Irish recruited them, then they were good enough to be considered for the hardware. Case closed.

They were photographed and fawned over. They had flair, style and, yes Paul Hornung, sex appeal. Three have been No. 1 overall NFL Draft picks. Four won the Heisman. Joe Theismann wasn't one of them, but excellence was so expected from the position that the pronunciation of his last name was changed to rhyme with the trophy.

Arnaz Battle started last season at QB but broke his wrist in the second game vs. Nebraska and finished the season at receiver.(AP)

In South Bend, William Shakespeare isn't The Bard -- he was the Irish's leading passer in 1934-35. OK, so "Bill" Shakespeare, as he was known back then, was a halfback, but he was the first Notre Dame player ever drafted. First round, of course, in 1936.

We haven't gotten to that guy Montana, who won a national championship and four Super Bowls.

So whatever happened to the Notre Dame quarterback? In recent years, he became Tom Krug, Kevin McDougal, Terry Andrysiak, Scott Grooms and Ken Karcher. In the case of Saturday's starter against No. 5 Nebraska, Matt LoVecchio was basically asked to stay out of the way when he was forced to play as a true freshman last year.

Chicks might dig the long ball, but Notre Dame quarterbacks are far down the "What's Hot" list these days. The hype has fizzled along with the aura. Two years ago Jarious Jackson set the school record for attempts, completions and yards. All those numbers got Notre Dame a 5-7 record.

Last year, Arnaz Battle started the season, broke his wrist in the second game against Nebraska, missed the remainder of the season and switched to receiver. Gary Godsey started two games in Battle's place, flopped and didn't throw a pass after Oct. 14. He'll be a backup tight end Saturday.

The Notre Dame quarterback is still hyped but almost anonymous compared to the halcyon days. The last Irish quarterback to finish in the top four of Heisman voting was Tony Rice in 1989, the year after Notre Dame won its last national championship. Coach Bob Davie is hinting that three quarterbacks might play for the No. 17 Irish in Saturday's showdown in Lincoln.

"I'd like to keep that under wraps and let everybody find out at the same time," Davie said.

Forgive Nebraska Nation if it doesn't shudder or, as one sarcastic e-mailer to the Omaha World-Herald wrote this week: "Wooooo, Bob. Soooo mysterious."

Exactly. The intangibles that used to make every blue-chip quarterback with a qualifying SAT dream of a call from Notre Dame's recruiting coordinator don't make the usual impression.

Passing? Notre Dame was 109th nationally is passing yardage last season. It did, however, lead the nation losing only eight turnovers. There can't be much glamour in selling a quarterback recruit on Ball Security Jesus.

"The problem basically at Notre Dame was philosophical," Theismann said. "What Notre Dame did under Lou Holtz was not really promote the quarterback position. When you are an offense that doesn't feature throwing the football ... it's going to be very hard to get top quality talent to go there."

Holtz left Notre Dame five years ago, and his impact is only part of the quarterback problem. Davie has had a difficult time not only waking up the echoes but finding an offense he is happy with. He inherited Holtz's square-peg-in-round-hole quarterback Ron Powlus. In fact, Beano Cook might have cursed the position forever by saying Powlus would win two Heismans.

"You look at Rick Mirer and Ron Powlus," Theismann said, citing two notable NFL busts from Notre Dame. "They were much better throwers coming out of high school than coming out of college."

If a quarterback is oversold at any other school -- Nebraska included -- it's merely news. But at Notre Dame, it's a catastrophe. The fallout has been significant. It just seems that the feel-good stories that happen to other programs don't happen at Notre Dame.

This year's Cinderfella is Fresno State quarterback David Carr. Washington State didn't have to leave the Pacific Northwest to find Drew Bledsoe, Mark Rypien, Timm Rosenbaugh and Ryan Leaf. All four became NFL quarterbacks. Michael Vick was the second-best high school quarterback in the Newport News, Va., region. The No. 1 prospect, Ronald Curry, went to North Carolina and became a borderline bust. Vick helped the Hokies to the brink of a national championship.

Where was Notre Dame on the recruitment of any of those players? It doesn't matter, because it didn't get any. When Notre Dame misses, the easy answer is that its stricter entrance requirements always keeps some players from being recruited. The harder task is nailing down a description of the offense that prospects will play.

"I don't think Notre Dame really knows what type of team they are," said Rick Kimbrel, recruiting guru at PrepStar.

One of the nation's top quarterback prospects in 2001, D.J. Shockley, labeled a Charlie Ward-type, didn't have Notre Dame among his finalists. He went to Georgia.

"I don't think it's difficult for us to recruit quarterbacks," Davie said. "If you look at college football right now, there's a premium on quarterbacks who can run. Everybody is spread the field, a lot of single-wing-type offenses."

Matt LoVecchio is one of three quarterbacks that might see action against Nebraska.(AP)

So maybe this is all Chicken Little. Notre Dame grabbed back some of its glory last year, winning nine games and going to the Fiesta Bowl. Then it all fell apart when Oregon State exposed the Irish as slow and inexperienced, at least at quarterback.

With a solid plan and fewer injuries, maybe Notre Dame could have been better last year. The Subway Alumni will expect it this year. LoVecchio's saving grace is that he has three years of upside. He was a highly recruited prospect out of Bergen (N.J.) Catholic. And for a true freshmen thrust into the limelight, he played exceptionally well.

"If we want to win a national championship, we're going to have to be able to throw the football -- period," Theismann said. "I like the way LoVecchio throws the football. If they're going to have a chance against any of the good teams, they're going to have to throw the football. You saw what happened against Oregon State."

Backup quarterback Carlyle Holiday was considered one of the top 50 recruits in the country out of San Antonio. But there's the rub. Which way is Notre Dame going to go? LoVecchio is the thrower. Holiday is the passer.

In the middle of it all, Radnor, Pa., receiver Maurice Stovall is being told Notre Dame will open it up this year.

"They told me to watch the games this year and see how much they pass the ball," said Stovall, a Notre Dame recruit. "They said they're going to open up the offense more. If the offense doesn't change, then I might be a little disappointed."

Two years ago, Notre Dame was 34th nationally in passing with Jackson slinging it all over the lot. Battle was more the scrambling type who couldn't throw. LoVecchio took over and had the best pass efficiency figure (151.7) at the school since 1990. Holiday seems like he'd be more at home in Nebraska's I-option offense.

Makes sense. Notre Dame beat out Nebraska to get him.

The difference between the two programs arguably comes down to who's under center on Saturday. By recruiting the Battles, the Holidays and the Crouches of the world, Notre Dame and Nebraska are eliminating a huge number of recruits that will even consider them.

Yet, Notre Dame has struggled -- compared to its glory years -- while Nebraska has hardly ever missed on getting its man at quarterback. Eric Crouch, a Heisman candidate, recently became the program's career total offense leader.

"We've gone head to head," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "When you have similar offenses with similar defenses, you're going to attract similar people."

When it comes to imitating Nebraska, Notre Dame would settle for similar results.