Replace and Reload: Notre Dame Ready For Yet Another Quarterback Battle
For the second straight offseason Notre Dame is going to go through another quarterback battle. Other than the last two seasons of Ian Book's career it seems like quarterback battles have become a regular occurrence for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame must replace Jack Coan, who leaves after throwing for 3,150 yards and 25 touchdowns. The two primary candidates in the battle will be rising sophomore Tyler Buchner and rising junior Drew Pyne.
This is a big offseason and will be a huge season for offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees. I'd put the failure to develop top quarterbacks on Brian Kelly more than any specific position coach, and now Rees is the sole man responsible for the position.
If Rees is as good as I think, maybe hope he can be you'll see the quarterback position become a strength of the football team in the very near future.
BUCHNER TIME
Despite not playing as a senior in high school and playing just part of one game as a sophomore, Buchner was simply too good not to get on the field this season. Buchner finished his freshman season with 634 total yards (336 rushing, 298 passing) and six touchdowns.
Rees is the only quarterback during the Kelly era to produce more yards and touchdowns as a freshman than Buchner, and he played a lot more snaps.
Buchner was given more of a niche role as a freshman and was used as more of a runner than as a true quarterback. There is no doubt he brings big time ability as a runner, both on designed runs and when things break down. When Buchner is in the game the read zone, designed QB run and RPO (run pass option) packages become a much bigger part of the offense and the run game becomes expanded.
If Buchner is going to win the starting quarterback job, and play at a level that will allow Notre Dame to compete for a college football playoff berth, he'll need to develop his pass game.
Buchner has a lightning quick release and he can get the ball down the field. He'll need to continue getting stronger, and use his lower body more effectively, which will help him get even more zip on the football.
The biggest issue for Buchner isn't physical, it's the mental part of the game, which is true for all freshmen. Buchner will need to work on footwork consistency, work on making better presnap reads, make better post-snap decisions and develop a better feel for the offense.
If can enhance his feel for the offense and become a more consistent decision maker Buchner will have a chance to have a major breakout season in 2022.
PYNE WON'T GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT
Of course, that assumes that Buchner can beat out Pyne, who you can guarantee won't go down without a fight. Pyne isn't as big as Buchner, he isn't as athletic, he doesn't have Buchner's arm talent and he's not the playmaker Buchner is.
But anyone that knows Drew Pyne knows what he lacks in elite physical tools he makes up for with great leadership and the mind for the game.
Don't get me wrong, Pyne isn't some untalented player who simply gets by on guile and moxie. He has an extremely quick release, he's mobile in the pocket and he has the potential to be a pinpoint passer. Pyne is a bit inconsistent at times with his ball placement because he'll speed up his delivery a bit too much at times, but as he continues to mature and finds his groove his ball placement will become a major strength.
That will be the key for Pyne, if he's going to win the starting quarterback job his decision making and accuracy must be top notch. He can't match Buchner as a playmaker, so he has to be more efficiency, move the offense more consistently and then learn to be a better down the field thrower than we've seen.
Pyne continuing to develop is important if he wants to battle Buchner, but even if the younger signal caller wins the job, the way Buchner plays the game (as a runner) and his injury history means Pyne needs to always be on the ready.
ANGELI ARRIVES SOON
Notre Dame has depth issues at quarterback, and Angeli will likely be the third quarterback on the depth chart. The Irish needed to play three quarterbacks in 2021 due to Coan and Buchner both getting injured at one point.
If that happens again in 2022 it will mean that Angeli is thrust onto the field.
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