Lujack, a former Notre Dame Heisman winner, well after surgery

Former Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lujack is “doing great” according to his grandson after undergoing surgery Wednesday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

The 89-year-old Lujack, who won the 1947 Heisman, was airlifted Monday to the Mayo for a neurological exam.

Grant Pohlmann, Lujack’s grandson, wrote in an email that Lujack went into surgery at 8 a.m., and while he was being wheeled into the pre-op room, he said, “this feels like the start of a football game.”

Pohlmann added that the family met with Lujack’s doctor and they were informed that the surgery went well and that the doctor is pleased. Physical therapy and rehab will be scheduled in a few days.

“Grandpa was just wheeled into his room at ICU and is DOING GREAT!,” Pohlmann wrote. “Although pretty groggy, he is doing a good job of holding court with all the nurses and making us laugh.”

Lujack had been admitted in a Davenport, Iowa, hospital two weeks ago and, after arriving at the Mayo, it was determined that he would undergo decompression (laminectomy) surgery. The surgery, according to Pohlmann, entailed removing some bones from the spine and inserting metal rods and screws to support the upper spine near his head.

Pohlmann added that the doctor who performed the surgery, Dr. Bill Krauss, is the same doctor who operated on Lou Holtz when Holtz coached at Notre Dame.

BWieneke@SBTinfo.com | 574-235-6428 | Twitter: @BobWienekeNDI