The pieces have come together nicely in the offseason for Notre Dame's offense. Nobody brings more experience, poise, and potential than projected starting QB, Riley Leonard. Let's dive into the factors that will help Leonard separate himself from quarterbacks of the past.
Photo by The Irish Tribune
When Riley Leonard transferred to Notre Dame in December, the Irish inherited an unfamiliar quarterback talent. In his only full season with the Duke Blue Devils, Leonard collected 2,967 passing yards, a 63.9% completion percentage, and added 699 more yards on the ground. In short, Leonard is as true of a dual threat quarterback in college football as anyone with a precise and immensely strong arm. Despite a limited spring recovering from two minor ankle surgeries, Leonard competed against other top college football quarterbacks in the Manning Passing Academy. In the end, Leonard out dueled Oregon star Dillon Gabriel to be crowned the "Air it Out" champion. In turn, Leonard cemented himself as a top passer in the country, and proved to be the missing piece the Irish offense have been longing for. Let's look at what makes Riley Leonard the X factor for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Arm Talent
While single season statistics don't tell the whole story, Leonard's numbers are comparable to those of Notre Dame's recent transfer quarterbacks, Sam Hartman and Jack Coan.
Best Single Season Stats | Riley Leonard | Jack Coan | Sam Hartman |
Passing Yards | 2,967 | 2,727 | 4,228 |
Total Touchdowns | 33 | 22 | 50 |
Interceptions | 6 | 5 | 14 |
While Hartman's numbers are more impressive, the mesh-style offense he ran at Wake Forest didn't translate well to Notre Dame's pro-style scheme. Leonard has experience with this scheme and will benefit from stronger talent at the pass-catching positions. At Duke, Leonard did the most with what he was able to do, yet the talent pool at the offensive line and wide receiver positions are far superior in South Bend.
Dual Threat
The next, and biggest "X" factor with Riley Leonard's game is his ability to keep plays alive with his legs. Leonard is an extremely accurate passer who doesn't necessarily shine outside of the pocket, but has the ability to continue plays and let receivers get open.
Leonard's true prowess with his legs is in the RPO and designed QB run game. Leonard rushed for 699 yards and added 13 touchdowns in his 2022 campaign. In the past three seasons with Coan, Drew Pyne, and Hartman as the primary quarterbacks - the Irish haven't had a quarterback who could use their legs effectively since Ian Book. Leonard is also a tough runner capable of breaking tackles and gaining extra yards. While it might be imperative to save himself from possible injury, Leonard's winning mentality and competitive desire make him highly capable of making big plays. At the beginning of last season, Leonard had a game-changing 44-yard run that led his Blue Devils to upset the then No. 9 Clemson Tigers.
Mike Denbrock
The last piece of the puzzle that will unlock Riley Leonard's true potential is newly appointed offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock. Fresh off helping Jayden Daniels win the Heisman trophy, Denbrock's high-octane offense will help Leonard flourish.
Denbrock has had an illustrious career getting the full potential out of his players and leading one of the best offenses in college football. Last year, LSU led all of college football in scoring, yards per play, and total offense. He also helped Jayden Daniels set the record for the NCAA single-season passing efficiency.
With transfers Beaux Collins, Kris Mitchell, and Jayden Harrison joining Jayden Thomas, Deion Colzie, Jaden Greathouse, and Jordan Faison, the Notre Dame wide receiver room is locked and loaded. While adding Mitchell Evans and Eli Raridon into the mix, Leonard will have plenty of options in the air. With these receivers and an established coach like Denbrock, Leonard can put up a historic season for the Golden Domers.
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