Notre Dame lands its 2024 quarterback: Duke transfer Riley Leonard
By Mike Berardino, South Bend Tribune
For the third time in four years, Notre Dame football has landed an experienced quarterback rental through the transfer portal.
This time, it’s Duke junior transfer Riley Leonard, who pledged his final season of eligibility to the Irish after visiting campus last week. Leonard revealed his choice Tuesday via his Instagram account.
“He is a talented individual,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said before facing Leonard. “The things he presents in the run game, the challenges he’s going to present. He’s a big, physical, tough runner (and) he’s accurate in the pass game.”
Quarterback Country co-founder David Morris, who backed up Eli Manning at Mississippi when Cutcliffe coached the Rebels, has tutored Leonard since his days as a two-sport high school star in Fairhope, Ala., outside Mobile.
Based on Morris’ recommendation, Cutcliffe famously offered Leonard a scholarship without ever scouting him in person. A self-described “slasher” who once thought basketball would be his ticket to a college scholarship, Leonard committed to Duke football in May of 2020, picking the Blue Devils over Syracuse, Nebraska, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt.
In his only full season as a starter, Leonard led Duke to a 9-4 record in 2022, passing for 2,967 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for 699 yards and 13 touchdowns.