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Crowdsourcing who Notre Dame fans think should start at QB for Irish in bowl game

IMG_9992by:Tyler Horka•12/04/22•

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notre dame quarterbacks
Notre Dame quarterbacks Tyler Buchner and Steve Angeli. (Left: BGI; Right: Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Notre Dame will find out where it will play its final game of the 2022 season today. The Fighting Irish’s plans for who will start at quarterback could come shortly thereafter.

Per a Notre Dame spokesperson, head coach Marcus Freeman will speak to the media between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. ET today. He’s going to get asked questions about the Irish’s bowl game designation and opponent, surely. But he should also get plenty of questions about his team’s quarterback situation, too.

Junior quarterback Drew Pyne announced he’s entering the transfer portal last week. Pyne started 10 games for Notre Dame after sophomore starter Tyler Buchner suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery in Week 2. Pyne compiled an 8-2 record despite major scrutiny from outsiders. He threw 22 touchdown passes against just 6 interceptions.

He was slated for at least one more start and shot at glory in the bowl game. Now he’s gone.

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All eyes turn to which card Freeman plays next. In essence, he only has two to put on the table. Buchner has been steadily working his way back into playing shape nearly three months post surgery. True freshman Steve Angeli has been patiently backing up Pyne for the better part of three months.

Freeman said Buchner could be an option late last month, and he said he would not hesitate to put him on the field if he was fully healthy. Pyne leaving could force Freeman’s hand in that regard.

The question becomes, does Buchner get the start if he’s 100 percent cleared even though he has not been a full practice participant in quite some time? Or does Angeli get his first career start with Buchner only employed in case of emergency? There is also the option of starting Angeli and using Buchner in limited packages, just as Notre Dame did when Jack Coan was the starter in 2021.

Freeman should provide clarity on which direction the Irish intend to go. If not today, sometime soon. For now, all anyone outside the program can do is speculate. Here’s how 2,017 Twitter users voted in a poll with the prompting question, “If you’re Notre Dame, what do you do at quarterback in the bowl game after the departure of Drew Pyne?”

Start Angeli, use Buchner: 25.8%

Start Buchner, use Angeli: 47.9%

Only play Angeli: 10.7%

Only play Buchner: 15.6%

It seems the fan base is ready to roll with the signal-caller who won the offseason competition. That’d provide a few more twists and turns in a Notre Dame season that has been one big roller coaster.

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