Who is Notre Dame's Starting Quarterback? 2024 College Football Outlook

The 2024 college football season is just a few weeks away and with fall camps ramping up, the hype for the latest format in the sport we all love is heating up.

Notre Dame was underwhelming during the four-team CFP era. They qualified for the playoffs twice but got blown out in both 2018 and 2020. As a team with 11 championships but none since 1988, they fall under the category of sleeping giant. The new playoff format will allow some of these fringe teams to compete for a title, and Notre Dame is certainly one of the prime beneficiaries.

After one season of Sam Hartman under center, Marcus Freeman had to return to the transfer portal to search for his 2024 quarterback. Freeman plucked one of the top transfers on the market in former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard.

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Is Riley Leonard Notre Dame’s Starting Quarterback?

Following his sophomore season at Duke in which he threw for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions, Riley Leonard was considered a potential future first-round draft selection. He also ran for 699 yards and 13 touchdowns in his breakout sophomore campaign. At 6-foot-4, 216 pounds, he offers prototypical quarterback size along with top-level athleticism.

Unfortunately for Leonard, his 2023 season was marred by injuries. The year started off on a high note with an impressive 28-7 win over Clemson in prime time in the season’s opening week, but he suffered an ankle injury in the late September loss to Notre Dame that kept him sidelined for a month. Leonard then returned for two games but was not fully healthy and sat out the remainder of the year.

After entering the transfer portal, Leonard landed at Notre Dame under the assumption that he would be the successor to Sam Hartman. As long as he is healthy, he is locked in as the starting quarterback for 2024. 

A dream come true. Go Irish ☘️ pic.twitter.com/2Ft09Ho4uj

— Riley Leonard (@rileyleonard13_) December 12, 2023

Behind Leonard, junior Steve Angeli is the likely backup. He was Hartman’s backup a season ago and started in the Sun Bowl. Freshman C.J. Carr, the grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, is competing for the third-string job with sophomore Kenny Minchey.

With Leonard back in full health, a big season is to be expected as he looks to work his way back into the first-round conversation. Notre Dame’s season kicks off on August 31st on the road against Texas A&M, led by Leonard’s former coach Mike Elko.

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