The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Ohio State Buckeyes will match up in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Monday, Jan. 20. Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day was asked about Notre Dame’s quarterback Riley Leonard, who he commended for his toughness and leadership ability.
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard has exemplified toughness all season, leading his squad to the CFP National Championship. Ohio State head coach Day has noticed and let his respect for Leonard be known.
Ryan Day Praises Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard Ahead of Title Game Showdown
After three seasons with the Duke Blue Devils, Leonard entered the transfer portal ahead of his final season. He promptly transferred to Notre Dame, filling a void at the quarterback position. His reasoning for joining the Fighting Irish?
“I came here to win a national championship and to go to the best team that would give me the best chance to do that,” Leonard said.
He certainly has a chance, quarterbacking Notre Dame to the national championship game. The team on the other sideline will be the Buckeyes, who also had an opening at the quarterback position before the 2024 season. Day was asked whether Leonard was on their radar.
“Yeah, I think Riley made his decision pretty quickly,” he said. “But he’s somebody that I’ve respected from afar and just the way he competes, and he’s a great athlete. He’s got a great mindset.”
The athleticism Day is referring to has been on full display all season long. On the season, Leonard has rushed for 866 yards, the sixth most for a quarterback in the country. His imposing frame — Leonard stands at 6’4″ and weighs 215 pounds — helps Leonard around the goal line, where a majority of his 16 rushing touchdowns occurred, also good for the sixth most by a quarterback in the nation.
In just one year, Leonard has endeared himself to the entire Fighting Irish fan base, becoming one of the most beloved athletes in recent memory. And it’s hard not to like him, even as a neutral college football fan.
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His postgame interviews have become a must-watch, as he oozes humbleness and deflects any praise directed his way toward his teammates and coaches. He’s become college football’s All-American quarterback, leading the Irish with his grit and toughness.
His play style isn’t the prettiest; his 3-to-3 passing-touchdown-to-interception ratio across the College Football Playoff leaves much to be desired. He failed to reach 100 yards passing against the Georgia Bulldogs in the CFP quarterfinals. He’s yet to pass for more than 250 yards on the season — something his quarterback counterpart, the Buckeyes’ Will Howard, has done in each of Ohio State’s playoff games. But to this point, it hasn’t mattered.
Day continued his praise of Leonard.
“Again, watching him play this year and the toughness and leadership that he brings, you can tell the offense and the entire team feeds off of him. So a lot of respect for his game.”
The formula for defending and stopping Leonard and the Irish hasn’t yet been executed. Day and the Buckeyes hope to be the first, but he knows won’t be easy.
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