ESPN names Notre Dame QB second most important player in 2022 College Football Playoff race
Notre Dame football enters the fall as a near-consensus top-10 team and earned a top-five mark in the preseason USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll released Monday. With a gauntlet of a schedule and a solid foundation left behind by former head coach Brian Kelly, the Irish are sitting as a College Football Playoff contender.
What would make or break 2022 for Marcus Freeman’s group in his first season as a head coach? ESPN’s Bill Connelly dove into that topic across college football and released the 25 most important players in the CFP race. Quarterback Tyler Buchner — or Drew Pyne should he win the starting gig — checks in at No. 2.
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Connelly cited Notre Dame’s offensive line as a certainty and noted the defense, at worst, has “a very good front seven.” Where the questions lie — and where Notre Dame’s 2022 fate will most likely be decided — is under center.
“Freeman and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees continue to treat the race for QB1 as an open battle between Buchner and Pyne, but most media close to the scene have been predicting an eventual Buchner win,” Connelly said. “He showed off fantastic mobility last season, gaining 346 yards in 45 non-sack rushes, but he also threw three interceptions in 35 passes. If his big-plays-to-disasters ratio is sound, he could bring a level of upside to the position that Irish fans haven’t seen in a while.
“They’ll need quite a bit of it, since reaching the CFP will likely require going 2-1 (at worst) against Ohio State in Columbus, Clemson at home and USC in Los Angeles.”
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Through six fall practices, the reps between the two are relatively even. During practice No. 1, Pyne took over for a longer stretch after Buchner missed some throws. Since then, at least from what the media is able to view, there hasn’t been much of a difference between them. As was previously stated, Freeman and Rees maintain it will be a battle.
Whoever starts for Notre Dame under center is always under a microscope. But given the Irish’s weapons at other positions and the fact that it’s Freeman’s first season, Buchner or Pyne will face an added level of scrutiny.
Ten most important players in 2022 CFP race
10. WR Jermaine Burton (Alabama)
9. RB Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama)
8. CB Eli Ricks (Alabama)
7. QB Caleb Williams (USC)
6. QB Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma)
5. QB Cam Rising (Utah)
4. QBs Cade McNamara/J.J. McCarthy (Michigan)
3. QB D.J. Uiagalelei (Clemson)
2. Buchner/Pyne
1. QBs Max Johnson/Haynes King (Texas A&M)
