The magnitude of what Eric Crouch accomplished Saturday night started to sink in Sunday morning.

It came when Crouch, the 2001 winner of the Heisman Trophy, met with about 25 past winners to talk about the future of college football's most prestigious individual award. For Crouch, it represented his first taste of life as a member of sport's most exclusive fraternity.

Afterward, the Nebraska quarterback admitted being a bit in awe of it all.

"It's a great feeling to be surrounded by players and people who have done great things with their life," Crouch said.

As he talked to two reporters outside a meeting room at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, 1980 Heisman winner George Rogers strolled past.

"Let me see you do it," Rogers said, his arm shooting out to stiff-arm an imaginary opponent. "Strike the pose."

Welcome to the club, Eric.

"By being in that room and hearing everyone talk about it, you get a feel for just how well respected the trophy is," Crouch said. "It's amazing. I never thought I'd be in this position."

Crouch was announced as the 66th winner - former Ohio State running back Archie Griffin won twice - of the Heisman, presented annually since 1935 by the Downtown Athletic Club. Crouch said part of Sunday's meeting dealt with the future of the trophy.

The club has been closed since the Sept. 11 terrorist attack because of its proximity to the World Trade Center. Eleven members of the club were killed, and the closing worsened its financial problems. Crouch became the first winner to be announced at a site other than the Downtown Athletic Club, and there is speculation that the club might never reopen.

"We talked about moving from the Downtown Athletic Club to here and how that is going to affect everybody," Crouch said. "Everyone seemed very positive about what's going on.

"This is a fraternity, an elite group of players, and you have to find ways to keep it going and prosper."

Many of Crouch's new fraternity brothers will be on hand tonight when he is officially presented with the award at a black-tie, $550-a-plate dinner.

Nebraska Coach Frank Solich, Athletic Director Bill Byrne and Chancellor Harvey Perlman are scheduled to attend, as are members of Crouch's family and friends.

Crouch won't return to Lincoln until Wednesday. He is scheduled to appear Tuesday night on "Late Night With David Letterman."

"I'm going to enjoy that and have a good time," Crouch said. "That's going to be fun. Not once did I ever think I'd be sitting on David Letterman's show."

As the Heisman winner, Crouch also is invited to sit on the dais at Tuesday night's National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Awards Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Nebraska tight end Tracey Wistrom will receive a $18,000 postgraduate scholarship at the event. Wistrom also is a finalist for the Vincent dePaul Draddy Award, considered the academic Heisman.

By the time Crouch returns home, he will have missed at least four practices, which Solich jokingly noted Saturday night.

"We told him we were going to ship him some clothes and shoes so he can start working out," Solich said. "The nice thing about Eric, though, is he's a guy that you don't have to worry about getting too far out of shape. We'll know he'll be ready when we need him."

Crouch did express some concern about how the outside demands might affect his preparation for the Rose Bowl.

"This could affect my focus, and I don't want to let it do that," Crouch said. "I'm going to find a place in the hotel to start working out. I've been wanting to do that ever since I've been gone. Coach Solich asked me last night if I had brought my gym shorts and football.

"It was something that was on my mind before he brought it up. At the same time, I'm not worried. I've been around this program for so long that I shouldn't miss a beat. I still have three weeks before any kind of game."

Crouch had watched the end of Louisiana State's 31-20 win over Tennessee in Saturday night's Southeastern Conference championship game.

"Who would have ever thought that the four teams that we needed to lose would lose," Crouch said. "It worked out nicely in our favor. To be able to come here, win the Heisman Trophy and get a chance to play in the national championship game by the time I go home, I don't think I could ask for much more than that."