ND FOOTBALL: Pyne, Buchner batting for starting QB role

Aug. 7—SOUTH BEND — For the second-straight season, Notre Dame has a battle for the starting quarterback job to begin fall camp.

Two of the three guys competing for the QB1 spot last year are back this time around. The only one who's not is Jack Coan, who ultimately won the starting spot as a fifth-year senior. Coan is now in the NFL after signing as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts.

This leaves two signal callers fighting for the gig this fall: junior Drew Pyne and sophomore Tyler Buchner.

"First two days, mechanically, I thought were pretty smooth," said Notre Dame offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees after the second day of fall camp Saturday. "Mentally, they know what they're doing. There are nuance things that we're going to continue to push. We're going to continue to challenge them. We put a lot on our quarterback's plates, and a little bit of it is to learn, as we go through camp, what we can and can't do with them."

Although Coan started all 13 games for the Fighting Irish a season ago, both Pyne and Buchner saw decent playing time in 2021. Pyne replaced Coan in both the Wisconsin and Cincinnati games, ultimately finishing 15-for-30 passing with 224 yards and two touchdowns in his two appearances.

Meanwhile, Buchner appeared in 10 games, mostly being used in specific packages of plays due to his running ability. The game he saw the most action in was against was on the road against Virginia Tech, where he replaced Coan midway through the game, only for Coan to come back in late in the fourth quarter and rally the Irish to a road win.

For the season, Buchner went 21-for-35 passing with 298 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. He also ran for 336 yards and three touchdowns, finishing as Notre Dame's second-leading rusher on the season behind Kyren Williams.

Buchner believes his experiences as a freshman last year have been beneficial for him entering his sophomore campaign.

"I definitely think it helps," Buchner said. "Last year, I went from being nervous about camp, and you get through that. And then you get nervous for a game, and you get through that. You knock things out of the way and start getting used to it and more comfortable in all of these situations. I think I'm definitely a lot more comfortable going into my second camp than my first one."

For Pyne, he's embracing the competition for a second-straight season.

"As long as I've lived, I've always competed; it doesn't matter who I'm going against, it doesn't matter whether I'm a second string, third string, fourth string, whatever," Pyne said. "My freshman year, Ian Book was here and he was unbelievable. He was the winningest quarterback in Notre Dame history, and he's one of my best friends. But you know what? I was competing with other guys. No matter who it is, I'm going to compete."

Rees pointed out a few things that both Buchner and Pyne have improved on in the offseason.

"Ty's calmness; just his ability to be out there, kind of play within the system and run the show is a progress from spring," Rees said. "We didn't ask him to do all of that last fall, so to see where he's come there has been really positive.

"Drew is to the point now, third year in the system — there's not going to be a lot out there that surprises him. You always wait for that moment as a quarterback matures in your program, and I think that's something he possesses now."

With the competition between Pyne and Buchner close, there's no set timetable to announce who will be starting week one against Ohio State, according to Irish head coach Marcus Freeman.

"I thought both of those guys had extremely good springs," Freeman said. "... When myself and coach Rees and the offensive staff feel it's to a point where there's a quarterback who's clearly showed us he's the starter, we'll name him."

Austin Hough can be reached at austin.hough@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2360. Follow him on Twitter at @AustinHoughTGN.