Notre Dame Football: It's Time to Have an Honest Discussion About Riley Leonard

Riley Leonard went from hero to zero in just two weeks as Notre Dame's starting quarterback, but it's time he began receiving the respect he deserves

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard warms up before a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Stanford at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We are now five weeks and four games removed from Notre Dame's disastrous loss to Northern Illinois. While that loss is inexcusable, Riley Leonard has unfairly become the scapegoat and target for many Irish fans since then.

Leonard is not a perfect quarterback; he has struggled at times, and the passing game has faced restrictions as a result, particularly when it comes to pushing the ball downfield. However, the quarterback position is as much mental as it is physical, and Leonard's physical talent is evident.

Unfortunately, the mental aspect of the game has been his biggest challenge at times, leading to missed opportunities on throws he would usually make with ease.

With that said, it's time for Notre Dame fans to move past the Northern Illinois game and accept Riley Leonard for who he is: a much better quarterback than many have been willing to acknowledge.

And the numbers support this claim.

So far through his Notre Dame career, Riley Leonard has 14 touchdowns to 3 turnovers.

He takes care of the football. A very underrated part of his game.

All of his turnovers have come against MAC teams ironically enough. And it’s well documented he was injured against NIU

— Nathan Erbach (@Nathan_Erbach) October 12, 2024

Riley Leonard's Season Numbers

Including the first two games of the season, Leonard's statistics remain solid.

In six games, he is completing 66% of his passes and has accounted for 14 total touchdowns—six through the air and eight on the ground. He has turned the ball over only three times: two interceptions and one fumble.

Ironically, all three turnovers occurred in the games against Northern Illinois and Miami University. He has passed for 979 yards and rushed for another 405, totaling 1,384 yards, which averages out to 231 yards per game.

While these numbers may not seem spectacular at first glance, they become more impressive when you consider his ability to protect the football and the strength of Notre Dame's dynamic rushing attack.

Moreover, it's important to recognize that Leonard transferred to Notre Dame after undergoing two surgeries for a major ankle injury, missed all of spring practice, and is now navigating his third offensive system in four years as a starter. He also played through an injury during the Northern Illinois game. With this context, his slow start becomes much more understandable.

He’s also been a 66% passer. I think we are starting to see someone much more comfortable in the offense

He missed all of spring practice and is in his 3rd offense already throughout his college career

Context matters even with how much the NIU loss sucks https://t.co/2tLYdmRHIq

— Nathan Erbach (@Nathan_Erbach) October 12, 2024

Riley Leonard's Number Post NIU

If you're not convinced yet, the numbers only get better from here. In the first two games, Leonard accounted for just one touchdown while turning the ball over twice. He also contributed only 79 of his 405 rushing yards—the aspect of his game that makes him truly special when he’s at his best.

Since NIU, he is completing passes at a 70% clip and has 13 touchdowns to 1 turnover - a fumble after a long run against Miami University.

His total yards per game has also gone up from 231 to 246 per game. These numbers would be even better if he didn't sit out the entire second half against Purdue and the fourth quarter against Stanford.

If you presented these stats to any Notre Dame fan without context before the season, they would have been ecstatic. However, given the loss to Northern Illinois, where he was injured, along with some occasional errant throws, many Irish fans seem hesitant to fully support QB1 in South Bend.

Frankly, I think that is ridiculous.

Alright one more stat and then make sure you check out my Riley Leonard article I’m about to write

Since NIU, Riley Leonard’s stats (4 games):

13 touchdowns, 1 turnover, 70% passer

658 yards passing, 326 yards rushing (964 total yards) https://t.co/PrFANmhmnd

— Nathan Erbach (@Nathan_Erbach) October 12, 2024

Future Thinking

Like many quarterbacks before him, it's become clear that fans are much harder on them in the moment than a few years down the line. Call this a bold prediction if you wish, but Notre Dame fans will remember Riley Leonard much more fondly 5-10 years down the line than they do now - especially if he keeps up this pace from the last four games throughout the remainder of the season.

It’s time for Notre Dame fans to move past the Northern Illinois game and acknowledge that Riley Leonard is a good college quarterback. He is the right man for the job, and this becomes increasingly evident each week as he is further away from his ankle injury and whatever issue occurred against NIU, while also becoming more comfortable in the Mike Denbrock offense.

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