Tag: Riley Leonard

Former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard advances to College Football Playoff quarterfinals

Former Duke football star Riley Leonard secured Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals spot with a Friday win over Indiana.

The Duke Blue Devils may not be included among the 12-team College Football Playoff field, but a recent star from the program kept his national title hopes alive on Friday night.

[autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag], who transferred from Duke to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish this offseason, helped his new team defeat the Indiana Hoosiers, 27-17, in front of a home crowd. The former Blue Devil completed 21 of his 32 passes for 201 yards, throwing an early interception but equalizing it with a touchdown pass in the second quarter. He added 30 yards and another touchdown on the ground.

The Fighting Irish lost to Northern Illinois in stunning fashion back in Week 2, but Notre Dame has now won 11 straight games to reach the final eight. Despite the national success, however, Leonard’s numbers don’t look particularly different from his breakout 2022 campaign in Durham. He racked up 3,666 yards of offense and 33 touchdowns that season, a slight uptick from his 3,044 yards and 32 scores with the Irish.

Notre Dame will face the Georgia Bulldogs, winners of two of the last three national championships, in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on January 1 for a place in the semifinals.

Notre Dame vs. Indiana: Fourth-Quarter Analysis

Enjoy this win over the holidays, folks.

The fourth quarter of the first-round College Football Playoff game between Notre Dame and Indiana mostly was uneventful. That’s in part because the Irish had this game in the bag well before it got underway. All that was left to do really was wait for the clock to hit zero and let the Irish enjoy their 27-17 win.

The quarter wasn’t completely devoid of action though. [autotag]Mitch Jeter[/autotag] had a 37-yard field goal blocked, but the Hoosiers did nothing with that. [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] responded by directing a 78-yard drive that featured a 44-yard completion to [autotag]Jordan Faison[/autotag] that came up just short of the end zone. Leonard ran it in himself two plays later for his 15th rushing touchdown this season, an Irish quarterback record.

The Hoosiers came alive after the two-minute timeout when Kurtis Rourke fired a 7-yard touchdown pass to Myles Price and then completing a two-point conversion pass. They then recovered an onside kick, and Rourke led another scoring drive, this one via a 23-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr. The late surge came too late to make a difference though.

Having ended the Hoosiers’ dream season, the Irish now turn their attention to the Sugar Bowl, where Georgia awaits them. With just under two weeks to recover and prepare, we’ll find out plenty about this team come New Year’s Day.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Notre Dame College Football Playoff round one highlight: Riley Leonard sets a record

Riley Leonard just keeps using his legs.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] has set a record against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Leonard set the record for rushing touchdowns in a season by a Notre Dame quarterback with 15. He passes [autotag]Brandon Wimbush[/autotag], who set the previous mark in 2017.

Leonard’s 1-yard run capped off a 9-play, 78-yard drive that took 5:44 off the clock.

While the run was nice, it was a deep toss from Leonard to [autotag]Jordan Faison[/autotag] for 44 yards that set the Irish up in the red zone.

The drive came after a baffling decision from Indiana to punt, and the touchdown made the score 27-3 in favor of the Irish.

Notre Dame place kicker Mitch Jeter (98) celebrates scoring a field goal during the first round of the College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tim on X: @tehealey

Notre Dame vs. Indiana: Second-Quarter Analysis

The Irish are halfway to New Orleans.

Notre Dame began the second quarter against Indiana by concluding a successful drive that originated in the first. Specifically, [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag], giving the Irish a 14-0 lead in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

The teams then showcased their respective defensive strengths, forcing punts on back-to-back possessions. That was followed by Kurtis Rourke completing a couple of first-down passes to get the Hoosiers into the red zone for their best scoring chance yet.

The Irish’s defense didn’t let the Hoosiers get too far into the red zone though and forced a fourth-and-4 at the 16. The Hoosiers’ offense lined up as if they were going for it, but after a timeout, Nicolas Radicic came out to kick a 34-yard field goal instead and get the team on the board.

The Irish’s offense then came out to try and make the Hoosiers pay for taking what for all intents and purposes an inconsequential route. The half’s final drive brought the offense to the Hoosiers’ 31-yard line, and [autotag]Mitch Jeter[/autotag] erased Radicic’s field goal with one of his own from 49 yards out with seven seconds left.

The Irish have a 17-3 lead and are only 30 minutes away from a trip to New Orleans to face Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. While not a done deal yet, all signs are pointing to it happening. It should be a fun second half.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Notre Dame College Football Playoff round one highlight: Jayden Thomas catches an easy touchdown

Notre Dame extends its lead against Indiana early in the second quarter thanks to Jayden Thomas.

The No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish caught the defense of the No. 9 Indiana Hoosiers looking into the backfield in the red zone, and that left Notre Dame wide receiver [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag] open for an easy TD catch.

Fighting Irish quarterback [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] had no problems completing the 5-yard toss.

The touchdown put Notre Dame up 14-0 early in the second quarter, and it capped off a 16-play, 83-yard drive that took 9:08 off the clock.

Dec 20, 2024; Notre Dame, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Jayden Thomas (83) catches a touchdown against Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Amare Ferrell (25) during the first quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tim on X: @tehealey

Notre Dame vs. Indiana: First-Quarter Analysis

What are your thoughts after a quarter?

The College Football Playoff is underway, and it couldn’t have gotten off to a crazier start. Whether Notre Dame or Indiana wins, the victory will have to be earned.

After the Irish’s defense started the game with a three-and-out, [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag]’s first pass was deflected at the line and ended up in the hands of the Hoosiers’ D’Angelo Ponds. But just when it seemed like the Hoosiers were going to score the game’s first points with a short field, [autotag]Xavier Watts[/autotag] got his own interception of Kurtis Rourke near the end zone.

Even with the Irish backed up to their own 2-yard line, it proved not to matter for [autotag]Jeremiyah Love[/autotag], who promptly tied a program record with a 98-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage. Just like that, it was the Irish on the scoreboard first.

The Hoosiers put together a nice drive on their next possession but ultimately were forced to punt again. The Irish didn’t have another explosive play on their ensuing drive, but it was far more calculated, and it resulted in one first down after another. They were in the red zone by the time the clock hit zero on the game’s first 15 minutes.

Breathe easy, folks. There’s a lot of football ahead.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Notre Dame College Football Playoff round one highlight: Xavier Watts gets a pick

Notre Dame gets a huge pick from Xavier Watts

The start of the Notre Dame vs. Indiana first-round College Football Playoff has been a defensive affair.

After Notre Dame forced an Indiana three-and-out on the initial possession of the game, Irish quarterback [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] was intercepted on the second Notre Dame snap when his pass was batted into the air.

The Irish defense appeared to respond by forcing the Hoosiers into third-and-long, but Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke connected with Elijah Sarratt — Sarratt made a spectacular catch to put Indiana within striking distance of the end zone.

On the very next play, Notre Dame All-American safety [autotag]Xavier Watts[/autotag] picked off an errant Rourke pass at the Irish 2-yard line.

That killed the Hoosier’s drive and shifted momentum back to Notre Dame.

Dec 20, 2024; Notre Dame, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) reacts after an interception during the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tim on X: @tehealey

Riley Leonard pens message to Notre Dame fans in The Players’ Tribune

Hear from the Irish’s QB.

[autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] has experienced it all in what will be his only season as Notre Dame quarterback. After a celebrated career at Duke, he opted to use up his college eligibility with the Irish, with whom he experienced incredible highs and the lowest of lows.

Leonard details all of that in a piece for The Players’ Tribune directed towards Irish fans. While some of it touches on his earlier life and his path to becoming a faith-based individual, the parts Irish fans likely will be most interested in are about his decision to come to the Irish and his experience in the immediate aftermath of the stunning loss to Northern Illinois that opened the home schedule.

No matter how the 2024 Irish’s season ends, Leonard forever will be seen a key reason the team made the College Football Playoff during its first year under the 12-team format. And if you’d like to hear more from him, here’s a recent interview he did with NBC Sports’ Nicole Auerbach:

Best of luck to Leonard for the rest of the season.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Notre Dame has ‘no plans’ for transfer portal quarterback in 2025

Does this make you happy?

Amidst all the hoopla surrounding National Signing Day, one question remained for Notre Dame. Would it go to transfer portal for a quarterback again in 2025 given how it has done so in three of the past four years?

It was a fair question given that [autotag]Jack Coan[/autotag], [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] and [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] all have been handed the keys to the Irish’s offense fresh off playing at other universities. But [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] assured at his National Signing Day news conference that that wouldn’t be the case.

When asked whether the Irish have enough quarterbacks in the wings already, Freeman assured that they did, adding, “We have no plans on going to the transfer portal for a quarterback.”

That will be a big relief to a quarterbacks room that already features [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag], [autotag]Kenny Minchey[/autotag], [autotag]CJ Carr[/autotag] and [autotag]Anthony Rezac[/autotag]. And don’t forget about Blake Hebert, one of the many signees for the Irish earlier in the day.

Here’s Freeman’s entire news conference in which he gives this assurance:

Finally in 2025, we’ll get to see how good Freeman and his staff are at recruiting quarterbacks instead of obtaining them from elsewhere.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Notre Dame defensive back is Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week

It’s pretty clear which play made him stand out.

As of this writing, Notre Dame defensive back [autotag]Xavier Watts[/autotag] is not on the list of accepted invites to the Reese’s Senior Bowl. [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] is there, but there at least is hope now that Watts will join him in that game.

The Senior Bowl has named Watts its Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Irish’s win over USC. He culminated a terrific regular season for him by recording nine tackles, breaking up one pass, registering one quarterback hit and picking off a pass that returned for a program record-tying 100 yards to score.

Watts leads the Irish with nine passes defended and five interceptions this season. The pick against the Trojans put him in the lead for interception return yards with 136.

Watts became the sixth Irish defensive player to score a touchdown this season and the fifth to do so via interception. The fourth player was [autotag]Christian Gray[/autotag], who did it on the possession before Watts’ score:

The Irish will need Watts if they want to make a run during the College Football Playoff. It seems like only a matter of time before he makes a big play during that, too.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89