A fading fanbase for a sportsman is no less painful than a physical injury. Fans’ support plays a big part in boosting the morale and motivation of the player. But Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard seems to be taking the blow from fans after his team lost 34-23 in the College Football Playoffs against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The 6’3″, 210-lb young ND quarterback appeared for the Senior Bowl and recently opened up about the scars he has retained from the CFP loss to the Buckeyes. “I’m still sore. Those dudes could hit hard,” Leonard said to the NFL Network’s crew. “But it’s good to be out here. Everything goes away as soon as you step onto the field,” he added, with a glint of hope. Maybe, just MAYBE, this subjective take on an objective pain didn’t fare ideally with the fans.
Riley might have failed to convince the fans that he’s fully ready to take blows again. Also remember Leonard’s high ankle sprain in the 2023 season, which ironically happened while playing against ND for his then-team Duke Blue Devils, before his ND transfer in 2023? Even after missing multiple games, he had to undergo further surgeries for his stress fracture. This painful past might be making fans contemplate his continuity in ND for another season.
Leonard is also set to appear at the NFL Draft in April 2025, and he’s aware that Notre Dame’s CFP setback would make him a mid-round pick. In the Senior Bowl, he said “Everybody talks about the long season in the NFL, but sign me up. I want to play as many games as possible.” Note the last 4 words. “As many games as possible.” The quarterback’s own words might have sent out the message that he is playing the Senior Bowl for the sake of it. Fans took to Reddit to post their opinions on whether they would have wanted Leonard to play for the Fighting Irish in the 2025 season.
A conversation broke out on Reddit, where a user posted a question: “If Leonard could come back would you want him to?” The user presented a mixed analysis of the player, praising and critiquing him alike. “This kid is a definition of a leader and warrior at QB like I haven’t seen at ND for a long time,”they said. But coming to reality, the user aligned with the majority and acknowledged that Leonard’s passes and leadership under tense situations might be shaky. They however remained hopeful, mentioning how Leonard’s qualities like “leadership, toughness and experience should never be undervalued.” They further speculated how Leonard’s future in Notre Dame would seem like under the guidance of a good “QB guru.”But the replies to this question were rather blunt and most of the opinions had one word in common – “No.”
The Reddit users had their rationale behind answering negatively when it came to Riley Leonard continuing his QB position for Notre Dame. “Hot take but no,” stated one, reasoning that Leonard might be an exemplary asset to the team, but “he was super inconsistent passing the ball.” Another person also chimed in, saying they’d “prefer someone with better passing ability.”In the College Football Playoffs finale, Leonard got sacked twice in the third and fourth quarters, which perhaps might have sent a signal that his passing strengths decreased with increasing tension, especially IN the second quarter where the scorecard read a disappointing zero for Notre Dame beside Ohio State’s 21 points.
Another major opinion among the fans was expressed in Reddit comments. Apart from the commonplace “No,” fans said they want CJ Carr for 2025. “No. I want CJ,” remarked one, and another echoed, “I’m happy to see the CJ Carr era and what it can bring, even if it means bumps with the development.” Wait, CJ Carr era? And “bumps with the development,” like really? If Notre Dame can afford a few hiccups, then why not train Leonard at all? Such was the sentiment of another user, who honestly penned, “You guys are all crazy… absolutely yes. CJ Carr hasn’t played a snap of college football.”Carr is a 4-star freshman quarterback of Notre Dame, but could not even throw a pass in the 2024 season before an elbow injury shelved him. He is expected to compete for the starting QB position in 2025 and recently updated that he has healed “95%”
However, it’s undeniable that Riley Leonard was a powerhouse despite Notre Dame’s defeat to the Buckeyes. He broke through Ohio State’s defense and started the game strong. The quarterback finished 22 of 31 passing for 255 yards and 2 touchdowns. The young player rushed 40 rushing yards with 17 carries and scored a rushing touchdown. Reaching the Playoff finale among the 12 best teams is not a small feat!