Tommy Rees explains how Tyler Buchner can help Drew Pyne from the sideline

Following the departure of starting quarterback Jack Coan after the 2021 season, Notre Dame has had to pivot at the position a couple times already. Starting quarterback Tyler Buchner is out for the season after suffering a shoulder injury in Week 2, clearing the way for Drew Pyne to take the reins.

Despite being out for the year, Buchner has still managed to find ways to help the Fighting Irish, even from the sideline.

“Tyler’s really helpful. Tyler knows our offense, he knows where to put your eyes, he knows what we’re looking at,” offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said. “So there’s things that he sees that he can help Drew with. I’m sure there’s things that Tyler sees now from a different perspective now that ultimately can help him.”

Pyne has helped Notre Dame bounce back from an 0-2 start to the season, knocking off California and North Carolina in back-to-back weeks.

The road is about to get a lot tougher, though, with the Irish facing No. 16 BYU this weekend in Las Vegas. So any help the third-year quarterback can get he’ll take, even coming from the guy who beat him out for the starting job in fall camp.

“They’re extremely close,” Rees said. “They’ve been that way, and they’re helping each other probably both ways, which is pretty interesting.”

Buchner buying into team concept as he helps Pyne

Quarterback dynamics can either strengthen or ruin a locker room, depending on how the guys handle competition and respond to both success and struggle.

Buchner’s injury forced him to the bench, but it hasn’t kept him from helping out his counterpart. Pyne has been pretty good so far this season, too, leaving Buchner’s status going forward once he recovers in question.

Pyne has gone 44-of-63 passing for 459 yards and six touchdowns, to just one interception.

A win Saturday would go a long way toward righting the ship in Year 1 of coach Marcus Freeman‘s tenure. BYU will not be an easy opponent. The Cougars have already taken down a ranked Baylor squad, and its lone loss was to a ranked Oregon team on the road.

The two programs will kick off on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET with a national broadcast on NBC. The game will also be available via streaming on Peacock.