Notre Dame football: Starting QB job still up for grabs
By Brad Weiss
With less than a month remaining until Notre Dame football opens up their 2021 season, the starting quarterback job is still up for grabs.
One of the bigger storylines all spring and summer surrounding the Notre Dame football program has been who is going to be the starting quarterback in Week 1 against the Florida State Seminoles. Whoever is the starter, they will be replacing a legend in Ian Book, who won more games for the program than any other signal-caller in school history.
Brian Engel from Rivals.com tweeted out on Thursday that the quarterback job will be announced likely next week, giving the team two weeks to prepare for the Seminoles. That is a short timeframe for any quarterback to get word that they are the starter, but coach Kelly must make sure he gets this right.
This is a Notre Dame football team that is in win-now mode, so they cannot afford the most important position in sports to be a weakness. Luckily, there are some solid options to choose from.
Notre Dame football deep at quarterback in 2021
Starting with the graduate transfer, Jack Coan, Brian Kelly knows he has a veteran quarterback he can lean on if he goes that direction. Coan was once a starter for Wisconsin, and all signs since he arrived on campus are that he is a warrior and a true leader.
Also in the quarterback room is Drew Pyne, who was the backup to Book last season, and is a former four-star prospect. Pyne has been outstanding this offseason as well, and if he wins the job, being only a sophomore, he could hold onto the position for the next few years.
Finally, there is Tyler Buchner, who did not play football last season due to COVID-19 protocols in California, and while he has looked good in the spring, he may not be ready to take over this program.
Truth is, it is looking like Coan is going to win the job, but Pyne is doing everything he can to wrestle the starting position away from the graduate transfer. One thing that also looks to be the case is that Buchner is locked in at No. 3, and the program would be wise to redshirt him this season, setting up a battle in 2022 for the job once again.