Riley Leonard Is Still Growing In the Notre Dame Offense

Despite being limited with an injury quarterback Riley Leonard is still learning the offense

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard (13) at Notre Dame spring football practice Thursday, March 7, / GREG SWIERCZ / USA TODAY NETWORK

Spring practice started on a high note for Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard. After transferring from Duke this past winter, Leonard had tightrope surgery on his right ankle in January but he began spring practice with the Fighting Irish at full strength. 

Leonard suffered a setback last month though when the rising senior had surgery to replace a plate he had in his ankle with a new one. Irish head coach Marcus Freeman said at the time that Leonard could still return to spring practice and that happened this week when the signal caller returned to light on-field duties while wearing a brace on his ankle. 

The physical setbacks have also slowed his transition to the offense new Irish offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock is installing since his arrival from LSU.

"It’s hard to judge how much is really being retained,” Denbrock said of Leonard’s development. "Is he a good learner? He’s a great learner. Does he understand football? Absolutely understands football. Understands adjustments on the board. You get him on the board, he’s great. You watch film with him, he’s great. He’s got really good answers. You get out here and the bullets are flying for real, I don’t know until we see it. Where he’s actually at with his learning of and adjusting and being able to adjust what we’re doing. That will come with time.” 

Leonard suffered the original injury in last September’s 21-14 loss to Notre Dame. He left the game after he was hit by Irish nose guard Howard Cross III. He returned to play three weeks later but re-injured it in a loss to Florida State. His limited status with the Irish changes what his priorities will be this summer as he prepares for fall training camp.

"It definitely changes our approach to the summer as whole and even before that,” Denbrock explained. "When we get done with spring football, it’s going to have to be between teach tapes and voiceovers and film study and different things that we’re going to have to line up for the players even when we’re not here and we’re out recruiting so that they can continue their knowledge base growing. Whether that’s Riley or any of the players on offense, that’s going to be a huge piece. That’s going to be very well detailed out and planned out before we even leave for May recruiting.” 

Leonard threw for 4,450 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his three seasons at Duke. He also ran for another 1,124 yards and 19 touchdowns while leading the Blue Devils. He has only been on Notre Dame’s campus since January, but he has endeared himself to his new teammates.

"The players love him,” Denbrock remarked. "The locker room is 100% supporting him in everything that he’s going through. It’s pretty remarkable to me that he’s out here tossing it.” 

Leonard played in just eight games last season due to his injuries. He sat out the entire month of November as well as Duke’s Dec. 23 Birmingham Bowl win over Troy before transferring to Notre Dame. 

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