Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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20 JANUARY 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY JACK SOBLE A fter pulling off a miracle to beat Duke Sept. 30, Notre Dame q u a r te r b a c k S a m H a r t m a n ended his postgame interview with ESPN's Holly Rowe early. "Honestly, I'm thinking about [Duke quarterback] Riley [Leonard]," Hartman said. "That kid's a hell of a player. He went down. I really want to go check in on him." Leonard was in the Blue Devils' medical tent, having injured his ankle while being sacked by Notre Dame graduate student defensive tackle Howard Cross III late in the game. He walked out on crutches, and Hartman offered words of encourage- ment and congratulated him on a gutsy performance in a near-Duke upset. Little did Hartman know, he was talk- ing to his successor. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Free- man confirmed in mid-November that the Irish would seek out a transfer quar- terback, and according to reports from all over the college football world, he quickly zeroed in on the Blue Devils' junior. Leonard committed to Notre Dame Dec. 12, and he's a good bet to start Week 1 against Texas A&M. He has one year of eligibility remaining. In three years at Duke, Leonard played in 27 games and made 21 starts. He threw for 4,450 yards with 24 touch- downs and 10 interceptions, and carried the ball 229 times for 1,224 yards (5.3 per carry) and 19 scores. He helped lead Duke to a 9-4 record in 2022, his first season as the full-time starter. He passed for 2,967 yards (7.6 yards per attempt) with 20 scores and 6 interceptions, and rushed 124 times for 699 yards and an eye-opening 13 touchdowns. In 2023, he was limited to only seven games due to the injury he suffered against the Irish. He had 1,102 yards passing with 3 touchdowns and 3 picks, plus another 352 yards and 4 scores on the ground. The 6-foot-4, 212-pound signal- caller is faster than you think at that size and he's relentless in the open field, making him difficult to bring down. His passing numbers dipped in 2023, in large part due to the injury he suf- fered against the Irish. But with the right pieces around him, he profiles as an exciting playmaker for the Irish. Fortunately for Leonard, Freeman spent the past few weeks working to put the right pieces around him. Here are Notre Dame's three other transfer additions, all of whom also have one year of eligibility. DB JORDAN CLARK ARIZONA STATE Freeman appeared on "The Pivot Pod- cast" over the summer and gave its three hosts — former NFL players Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor and Ryan Clark — a tour of Notre Dame Stadium. "Y'all sold out Ireland already?" Clark, who was a Pro Bowl safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers and also works as an ESPN analyst, asked Freeman. "Oh, it's done," Freeman responded. "That is insane!" Clark said. Whether either of them knew it at the time or not, that was a recruiting visit. Former Arizona State nickel back Jordan Clark, Ryan's son, committed to Notre Dame Dec. 4. The Irish had a need at nickel back with graduate stu- dent Thomas Harper out of eligibility after the Sun Bowl, and Freeman looked quickly to fill it. He got Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham's en- dorsement on a phone call during the Clarks' visit, as Ryan Clark recalled Dec. 5 on his ESPN show, "DC and RC." "He raved about Jordan, man, for five to READY FOR RILEY Notre Dame acquires likely QB1 in former Duke signal-caller Riley Leonard, among other portal pickups In three years at Duke, Leonard played in 27 games and made 21 starts. He threw for 4,450 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and carried the ball 229 times for 1,224 yards (5.3 per carry) and 19 scores. PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP