Riley Leonard has been getting decent hype, which ultimately is good for ND.
On3 identified him as a top 10 Heisman contender. ESPN identified him as one of the top 10 QBs.
While the guy doesn't have a cannon for an arm, he does a good job of game management, is deceptively mobile for his size, and is starting to make mid-range throws that you'd expect him to make.
Link: Davey Obrien award
Replies to: Riley Leonard has been getting decent hype, which ultimately is good for ND.
The kid has improved the last two games but any sort of Heisman talk is laughable.
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Fully agree. Let's just hope IF we win out, he's ready to play
playoff football and carry the team to WINS vs top competition week upon week.
Where was this the previous 7 games?
He looked like a different player against Navy. Like an actual FBS quarterback playing for a top team.
Let's just hope it wasn't an anomaly!
If he keeps playing like last Saturday we will easily win next 4 and I agree we are playoff bound. Keep in mind the committee is not the AP voters. They look far deeper than those clowns.
But a much improved Leonard increases our probability of making the playoff and maybe, just maybe, winning a game.
I didn't watch a ton of his games but we've gotten how he always looked. The difference is the
magnifying glass of ND when a team is expected to do well. Whereas, at Duke if you win 4 games they think you are awesome. One of the best teams and players they've ever had.
The drastic difference in expectations distorts the reality between the appearance of good play and actual good play. At Duke there was a lot more leniency, meaning you just had to sort of look like you knew how to play football for people to notice you and think you were good.
Perceptions and expectations of Duke Basketball and ND Football are probably on par. Perceptions and expectations of ND Basketball and Duke Football are probably also on par. IMO, this is the difference.
I think this is partially true, but I think there is also another part to it..
that you are leaving out.
There is a reasonable expectation that when you take a certain level of player and surround them with either a higher or lower level of supporting cast talent, their performance will either increase or decrease to a certain degree accordingly.
I believe the expectation was (correctly) that we'd bring him here and get more from him than Duke did because of the talent around him. I think it was a solid plan that got negated by him missing the spring and the level of play he's at now is about where he would have been at the start of the season if he hadn't missed the spring.
If you want my opinion, it's all about him missing the entire Spring..
Real Reps > Imaginary Air Reps
Conceptually, I agree, but if it helps to make the CFP case, ok. He won't be in the top 5.
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People are going to hate this comparison, but look at Tony Rice's stats vs Leonard.
And Leonard would be great in an option offense.
A scheme using more quick slants, TE-go, and RB wheel routes c/b potent.
The last 3 QBs demonstrate that there's a learning curve to the offense. All 3 were very experienced, and it has taken each a few games to get their sea legs under them.
Hopefully the younger QBs are getting exposure to the scheme, and their learning curve is to the speed of the game, and not the offense itself.
I agree, I think Denbrock has tailored the offense to what RL can execute over the last few weeks.
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Bingo.
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An option offense would be the most fitting. He would do well in that.
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