Marcus Freeman says Tyler Buchner is 'ready to roll'

Notre Dame went into bowl season with major question marks at quarterback. Tyler Buchner, the team’s Week 1 starter went down with a shoulder injury in Week 2, missing the rest of the regular season. Meanwhile, his replacement, Drew Pyne, transferred to Arizona State.

However, now head coach Marcus Freeman says that Tyler Buchner is ready to roll for the Irish in the Gator Bowl.

“I think he’s ready to roll,” Marcus Freeman said. “You talk about a guy that hasn’t played football for probably week 2 to week 12. He had some time where he wasn’t on the practice field.”

Tyler Buchner played in most of Notre Dame’s first two games this season, before being injured late against Marshall. Both that Marshall game and the Ohio State game were losses for the Irish. In those games, Buchner threw for 378 yards and two interceptions. He ran for an additional 62 yards with two touchdowns on the ground.

“After I think today’s practice is 14, after 14 practices,” Marcus Freeman continued. “I think he’s ready to roll. He’s been magnificent in practice. He’s done a great job of leading the offense, which to me it’s not just throwing the ball, right? When you’re the quarterback at Notre Dame, it’s gaining the confidence of those guys around you. You’re the leader of that group. I think he’s done a good job of continue to earning the trust of these guys that are surrounding him in that offensive huddle.”

Notre Dame will play South Carolina in the Gator Bowl on Friday, December 30th. It appears that Tyler Buchner will be under center for the Irish.

Marcus Freeman defended naming Buchner the starter

When Drew Pyne started to find some success in the middle of the season, there were some people wondering if he should have been the opening day starter. However, Marcus Freeman pushed back against that idea.

“No, I don’t question that decision at all,” Marcus Freeman said.

“That was earned. That was earned through practice and we made a decision. Sometimes, the results can put a mask over your eyes and cloud the process of getting to that decision. I know we didn’t win that game and three quarters that Tyler played but Tyler Buchner earned the right to be the starter through preparation”