Maybe
When Notre Dame went into a transfer portal at the end of last season for another quarterback, there were mixed reactions from Irish fans. While many were thrilled that Marcus Freeman was doing everything he can to put the best team he can assemble out on the field by bringing in Riley Leonard, there were plenty of fans that wanted the Irish to develop what they already had on the roster.
While bringing in a portal quarterback every year isn’t something that anyone wants (including Marcus Freeman) it feels different if you can get them for multiple years rather than as a one year mercenary.
Which brings us to an interesting situation.
The NCAA is considering granting 5 years of playing eligibility to all athletes rather than 4 years of playing eligibility within 5 years. For Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard, this could mean a return to playing quarterback for the Irish in 2025. That would also mean that Notre Dame has a chance to return its starting offensive line, Jadarian Price and Jeremiyah Love at running back, and some explosive wide receivers like Jordan Faison.
One more year of Riley Leonard in Mike Denbrock’s system with a veteran offense around him… don’t threaten me with a good time.
Unless the NCAA passes this rule pretty quickly, none of that will matter as far as Leonard is concerned — but they might, and I think it’s a safe bet that Leonard would want to do another tour in South Bend.
Marcus Freeman has consistently said the Irish won’t go back into the portal for a QB this cycle, but maybe that’s because they are betting on this rule change to allow Leonard another year. As a fan, I’m really excited at the possibility of all of this, and I hope this is something that can be done.
I want Riley Leonard back in 2025 — how about you?