Notre Dame football: Irish players rallying around Drew Pyne
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team turns to Drew Pyne in Week 3 at starting quarterback, and based on his teammates, he is the right guy to get this thing turned around.
On Saturday, the Notre Dame football team will take on the California Golden Bears, who come into this matchup with a 2-0 record. For the Irish, getting to win No. 1 has proven harder than expected, as they lost to No. 2 Ohio State in Week 1, and then was shocked by the Marshall Thundering Herd at home last Saturday.
To make matters worse, the Irish lost starting quarterback Tyler Buchner for the season in the loss to Marshall, as he will miss four months with a shoulder injury. That means Drew Pyne will ascend into the starting role, and based on what his teammates are saying about him, the program is in good hands with him under center.
Pyne has shown his worth in the past, but was a backup to both Ian Book and Jack Coan the past few seasons, so this is a great opportunity for him to prove he is deserving of being the starter. Can he beat Cal? That remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, the team certainly feels he can.
Notre Dame football to rely on Drew Pyne the rest of the way
Pyne was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, and we have seen him have his moments with the Irish, like last season, when he came for an injured Jack Coan and led the team to a win against Wisconsin inside Soldier Field. He plays the game with incredible passion, and is not afraid to take some shots downfield, something this offense has been lack with Buchner under center.
We really do not know what the Irish plan to do with Pyne under center, as the offense has looked terrible, especially in the passing game to start the season. Maybe a new quarterback is just what Tommy Rees needs to get this team moving in the right direction, but one thing is for sure, Pyne is going to leave everything on the field this Saturday, gaining even more respect from his teammates.