Notre Dame football fans may get QB1 change they were hoping for
What a difference a day (and a previously undisclosed injury) makes for the Notre Dame football team. On Monday, head coach Marcus Freeman made it very clear that Riley Leonard is the starter for the Irish against Purdue.
On Tuesday, there is at least some question whether that may be true. However, Freeman and his staff still claim Leonard is the guy.
Leonard’s first and second carries…followed by the play Tim mentioned it appears Leonard is in pain during Notre Dame’s first drive.
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreemanISD) September 10, 2024
(Not stating this is where the alleged injury happened or that Leonard is even hurt as he’s not listed on Notre Dame’s injury report) https://t.co/v0P0UTnwoA pic.twitter.com/wWXYAfBFDy
That despite the fact that the Notre Dame football program also let it be known that the team’s starting quarterback suffered an injury to his non-throwing shoulder in the game against NIU. And it appears that they knew if was a problem while the offense continued to struggle.
Internet sleuths have been working overtime on Tuesday to try and pinpoint when the injury might have occurred. If the prevailing theory is correct, it was on Leonard’s second rush of the game. If that’s true, it could explain at least some of the struggles.
Notre Dame football starting quarterback is hurt, but may play?
The other play that has some people thinking they’ve pinpointed the timing is late in the second quarter. Here’s the question that has to occur to Fighting Irish fans.
Here’s the play late in the second quarter where Riley Leonard looks to have injury his non-throwing shoulder on Saturday.
— Drew Mentock (@AndrewMentock) September 10, 2024
He didn’t run the ball again for the rest of the game. pic.twitter.com/uBjyt7TA3f
If he played the entire game or the entire second half hurt, and that stopped Notre Dame from calling the quarterback run, why was there—as Freeman said Monday—no thought of trying a different quarterback?
Knowing that question is out there, despite claims that at the moment he’s slated to start, and despite the fact that Leonard’s injury was concerning enough that they gave him an MRI this week, is it possible the coaches might change their minds by Saturday?
We’ve heard a lot of talk about how there was a quarterback competition this spring and fall. And that Leonard “won” it. That would seem to indicate that either Steve Angeli or Kenny Minchey or CJ Carr were close enough to starting to make it a fight.
At the moment, nothing has changed behind center for the Notre Dame football team. But this feels like a developing story that fans will need to keep an eye on all week.