Notre Dame Football: What players have a value similar to GameStop?
By Jack Leniart
![CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 19: Wide receiver E.J. Williams #6 of the Clemson Tigers is tackled by safety DJ Brown #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium on December 19, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 19: Wide receiver E.J. Williams #6 of the Clemson Tigers is tackled by safety DJ Brown #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium on December 19, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/390b635db8c7b394ac0b559ef14608cc082b63b1a5a52c253ec45c876fdd0204.jpg)
Notre Dame football: Drew Pyne (Quarterback)
Drew Pyne was a four-star prospect in Notre Dame’s 2020 recruiting class. As a true-freshman, he saw action in two games this past season. One of those games was the semifinal game of the College Football Playoff, where Pyne had to fill in for one play after Ian Book’s helmet came off.
It may be a bit premature to include Pyne on this list since 2021 will only be his second season at Notre Dame. However, with the addition of both transfer quarterback Jack Coan and true freshman Tyler Buchner, Pyne is at risk of being lost in the shuffle.
At best, Pyne could be listed as the second-string quarterback for the Irish before the season-opener against Florida State. At worst, he could fall to fourth on the depth chart behind Brendon Clark and Tyler Buchner.
When Jack Coan announced he would be transferring to Notre Dame from Wisconsin this off-season, expectations for Pyne took a significant dip. But, as day traders will tell you. If you believe in a stock, you should buy more of it when the price dips.
Even if Pyne does not win the starting job, there is still a chance he could make an impact this season. There is no guarantee that Jack Coan will come in and play lights out. He will be learning an entirely new offense after sitting out a full season due to an injury. Shaky play early on could open the door for someone like Pyne to take over.
There is also a chance that Brian Kelly and Tommy Rees need to make a quarterback change due to injury. The Notre Dame offensive line will be rebuilding this off-season as they try to replace four of their starters from 2020. Coan, who is not a super-mobile quarterback, could find himself under pressure occasionally when dropping back to pass.
Next. Notre Dame Football: 3 things to watch for in the 2021 Senior Bowl. dark
Looking at the other quarterbacks on the roster, Pyne may end up being the best option after Coan. Brendon Clark was dealing with some nagging injuries last season. Tyler Buchner is making the transition to the college level after not getting a chance to play high school football last season due to the coronavirus pandemic.