Is Leonard near the top of greatest Notre Dame single season QB's?
If you take into account he was injured and didn't get a snap in the spring, played for a new OC and didn't have a true #1 (or 2) receiver he has to be. Remember the Ohio St. game when Hartman came up short? Riley basically said get on my back jumping over Georgia defenders. How many other plays did he make with his legs when Georgia had him surrounded? And once he got back to being himself he did it damn near every game. He's a 2024 version of Tony Rice that throws the ball better. When your a great leader and can carry a team passing stats don't mean much. Quinn and Clausen were really good QB's but there are no Stovall's, Sharks or Golden Tate's out there. For one year he is the perfect QB.
Replies to: Is Leonard near the top of greatest Notre Dame single season QB's?
Johnny Lujack 1947. Young people need to learn their Irish football history.
Led the Irish as both their QB and DB. Won the Heisman Trophy. Unanimous All American. AP Athlete of the Year. Led ND to 3 national titles, including 1947. He had his career disrupted by WWII, serving in the Navy tracking down German subs. Not as big a deal as missing Spring ball, but it still deserves a mention. While he had all this going on as the ND QB in 1947, he was also lettering in baseball, track, and basketball. When discussing "near the top" Irish QBs, it begins and ends with Johnny Lujack.
Pretty sure Lujack started for 2+ years.
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Lujack would have been 100 years old Saturday - passed away at 98
He had a very interesting record as an NFL player - the only Bears QB to throw for more than 5 TDs in a game (he threw 6) until Mitch Trubisky tied him in '18.
He was Leahy's pick as a successor at HC, but Terry Brennan got the nod from the president at the time. He never coached again, and we'll never know if the lost decade between Leahy and Parseghian would have been different with Lujack at the helm. Honestly, it probably wouldn't, because the ND administration at the time was actively sabotaging the football program by implementing scholarship limits that did not exist elsewhere in college football to improve ND's image as an educational institution vs. a football one.
Both Johnny & David Robinson used to sit in the north end portablle bleachers by my section.
Took a couple of nice unsolicitated pictures at the time. They both were real gentlemen judging by friends and admirers who would stop by to have a chat with them.
David "The Admiral" Robinson? Was this when his son played for us?
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Yes. Corey.
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He is the only QB that can win his way. He is a better passer than Rice with much less receiver
talent. I said he was a difference maker in a different way and we have so many stubborn "experts" who don't want to believe this.
Don’t know about that, but his dual threat abilities have been a real asset this year.
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Leonard's passing stats against quality opponents are midling. If ND wins the NC...
it will be because of Al Golden's defense.
Leadership and 3 bucks will buy a QB who can't throw down field a cup of coffee
Leonard’s a baller and that’s all the matters. It appears his team believes in him.
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I hate doing this but screw you for 2 stupid narratives, 1 - dissing Leonard and 2- disrespecting MF
#1. First off, Riley Leonard has done nothing but win games this year, NIU aside (and he was part of the problem, but not the problem, that game). ND is a Top-5 scoring offense this year without a single player that will be drafted before round 6 this April. Who gives a shit if he can pass for 300 yards? This is college, not the pros. If you don't understand why he was not only important but essential to ND winning 12 games this year, you don't know football. I don't want to insult any current or former ND players, but has a single ND QB won this many games this convincingly (only 1 opponent within a touchdown), with the pass catching talent RL had this year? His top receivers are a walk-on lacrosse player and a TE still not fully recovered from a bad 2023 injury. His O-line was a patchwork. Do you think they'd be Joe Moore finalists without Riley Leonard? His rushing ability and decision making kept ND in every game this year. He elevates everyone around him, including Love and Price, the best 1-2 rushing combo I've seen in decades. Marcus Freeman himself almost breaks down when he talks about how proud he is of Riley and how he'd love his sons to be like him. Riley Leonard is already the best QB ND has had since Tony Rice, and I love Brady Quinn. The guy is a winner, full stop, and his head over heels run vs. UGA last week will be on ND highlight reels for the rest of my life.
#2 I love Al Golden, but this defense is Marcus Freeman's. Golden is a great coordinator, but this defense has Marcus Freeman's fingerprints all over it. MF came to ND as a hotshot DC in 2021 who everyone wanted. He was hired within a year as HC. The defense is built in MF's vision and came to play for ND and MF, not Al Golden Again, I love Al Golden, but without Marcus this defense would not be what it is today. I'm tired of people on this site talking about Golden and Denbrock as the reason Freeman is successful. They are great coordinators, but there isn't a HC in the playoffs who doesn't have great coordinators. Ohio State has Chip Kelly, who led to teams to NC as a HC and was an NFL HC for years, but nobody feels the need to point that out every time they talk Day's success. Nick Saban had several former HCs as coordinators during his Bama run - it's what great coaches do. Great coaches attract great coordinators, not the other way around.
I don't understand and won't stand for the disrespect so-called fans like you spew against our players and our head coach. I'm pretty sure Al Golden and the rest of the Defense would agree with me on point #2, and I know for a fact anyone currently associated with the ND football program would agree with me on point #1.
In conclusion, stuff yourself and your stupid negativity following ND's biggest win in 30 years.
Go Irish.
It's what Steve does, get used to it.
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I agree with your assessments.
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You are en fuego. Great points.
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If he wins the NC we can have that discussion.
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