Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard Has No Idea Why Defenses Have a Hard Time Tackling Him

The Irish quarterback knows he's an elusive runner, but can't quite figure out why.

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard has been an elusive runner as the Irish push towards a national championship berth. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Notre Dame starting quarterback Riley Leonard has proven to be a difficult quarterback to prepare for as the Irish sit one game away from a national championship appearance.

While Leonard doesn't always jump off the page with his arm talent, he is certainly an accurate passer and provides plenty of elusiveness is the running game as well to make things happen when plays breakdown.

After all, the key moment in Notre Dame's victory over Georgia in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl came on a Leonard run for a first down late in the fourth quarter that saw him somersault his way to moving the chains and icing the clock.

When asked about his ability as a runner. Leonard gave an honest answer during Orange Bowl media availability on Tuesday.

"I don't understand why I'm hard to tackle, honestly," Leonard said, via Jack Soble of On3. "I don't have very good juke moves. I'm very tall. Not intimidating, at least on the field. But guys just miss. I don't really know why."

Quintessential Riley Leonard quote, from today's Orange Bowl media day:

"I don't understand why I'm hard to tackle, honestly. I don't have very good juke moves. I'm very tall. Not intimidating, at least on the field. But guys just miss. I don't really know why." pic.twitter.com/FR0IA10pXI

— Jack Soble (@jacksoble56) January 8, 2025

Leonard's elusiveness needs no explanation, but he'll need another strong performance with his legs and his arm when the Irish face Penn State in the semifinal on Thursday night.

---

More of the Latest Around College Football

feed