Second ex-Notre Dame football QB returns in transfer portal

There's just something about Notre Dame football and South Bend. Guys who leave are suddenly feeling the need to make their triumphant return. Especially when talking about former starting quarterbacks.

Earlier this month it was Tyler Buchner that announced he was returning to the Fighting Irish. Now it's Drew Pyne.

Pyne is entering the transfer portal again after originally departing Notre Dame to try his luck competing for a starting quarterback spot at Arizona State. Things didn't work out too well in that regard. Pyne played in just two games and started one.

In those two games, the former Fighting Irish star threw for 273 yards, 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. That was a follow-up to a season where he actually performed pretty well in South Bend, throwing for 2,021 yards, 22 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions.

Now Pyne is coming back. Though like Buchner, he won't be playing for Marcus Freeman when he does it.

“Former Notre Dame and ASU QB Drew Pyne tells ESPN he’s enrolling back at Notre Dame in January for the spring semester to earn his degree in American Studies and minor in business economics,” Pete Thamel said via X on Wednesday. “He will not play football at Notre Dame this spring and plans to graduate in May.”

Another ex-Notre Dame football star is on his way back to South Bend

It's certainly interesting that for some reason, Notre Dame has managed to see two former signal-callers return to the univeristy but not the football team. It's safe to say that's a story that no other school can claim.

It goes to show that the school is one that offers up one hell of a football program. It also offers an impressive academic resume.

It's also safe to say that if Riley Leonard wasn't on his way to South Bend as well, Notre Dame football fans would be more than a little annoyed that two QBs were making a return and neither are suiting up.