Addressing Riley Leonard’s health concerns for 2024 season

There are numerous health concerns with Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard, according to Blue and Gold’s Tyler Horka.

Leonard was hampered by an ankle injury last fall while at Duke and also got turf toe in the process of coming back. Due to surgery on his ankle, Leonard’s been out of action for the Fighting Irish through spring practice.

Is that now going to be a concern going into the season?

“It wasn’t just the ankle that you mentioned getting injured in that Notre Dame game,” Horka said on Andy Staples On3. “That was the biggest part of it. And that’s what’s keeping him out right now. Like you said he’s had two surgeries on the ankle that he hurt against Notre Dame last year. But if you remember, I believe it was either the Florida State game or the Louisville game. Those are the two games that he played after he got hurt against Notre Dame on September 30. 

“He came back and played in October a couple times. He had a turf toe injury and one of those games and that’s when he decided okay, I’ve got the ankle, now I’ve got turf toe. If you’ve ever played football at this level, you know, and I have not but I’ve read enough about it and heard enough of these guys say it, turf toe, that’s nagging.”

When Leonard needed a second surgery on his ankle, head Marcus Freeman explained the situation for Notre Dame’s quarterback.

“Riley Leonard will be out the next few weeks due to an additional surgery he had on his ankle on Friday – so, yesterday – to address a stress fracture that was beginning to develop,” Freeman said earlier this spring. “Basically, the surgery was to exchange the current plate he had in his ankle with a new one. The doctors are doing extremely well. The overall prognosis and health of his ankle is excellent. We’ll see when he can get back.”

“We’re not putting a timetable. We know it’s gonna be a few weeks, but we’re not saying he’s out for the spring. There could be a chance he comes back and participates in some capacity during spring ball.”

CJ Carr, Kenny Minchey, and Steve Angeli were available for Notre Dame’s spring game, with Minchey and Carr being live and full contact. Carr, a freshman, was a four-star quarterback and ranked No. 6 among the quarterbacks in his class.