Notre Dame football only an option for Riley Leonard after injury

The biggest transfer news regarding Notre Dame football is their new quarterback for the second straight year. Riley Leonard has been all the rage even before officially transferring to the Fighting Irish. However, according to the dual-threat quarterback, Notre Dame wasn’t really on the radar until he had a career-changing moment.

“The portal was never really anything I really thought of until I got hurt. I was just like, ‘Dude, I got one year left of this.’ I’m a risk-taker. My whole life, I’ve just been a risk-taker. So I was like, ‘I got one shot.’ Twenty years from now, I want to look back and say, ‘I gave it everything I had.’ And I ended up here, and I think this is the best place to get me to my dream of playing in the NFL.”

Leonard made those comments while meeting with Notre Dame football media for the first time on Friday. Assuming they’re true it’s certainly an interesting turn of events.

Of course, it’s hard to know just how true the comments really are, considering that Leonard had been on the Irish radar before playing Duke. It was that game where he suffered the ankle injury that required one more surgery earlier this month.

Notre Dame football only an option for Riley Leonard after injury

Speaking of that surgery, Leonard knows there’s some concern over the ankle. That concern increased when the report surfaced earlier this week. However, his update on his own health on Friday seemed to be nothing but positive.

“I feel great,” Leonard said. “I’m bouncing around. Obviously no boot, nothing. You probably wouldn’t even realize I got surgery.”

He also shot down rumors that he might miss the spring game saying that he’ll be back sooner than some expected.

“I should be back in a couple of weeks. I’m two weeks in right now and feeling great already, so no problem at all.”

Notre Dame football’s championship chances are on the shoulders of Riley Leonard this season. And for now, it appears he’s up to the task.