the kid is a winner, period. Just like two other non-prototype bodies, Huarte and Theismann.
And for that reason I'll always remember him with fondness.
Drew plans to star in Hoosiers 2: 3-9 Record
I wish him well. But I think we all knew he wasn’t going to get us to NC territory.
Next year would have been an awkward situation with an incumbent starter who has a dramatically lower ceiling but also a higher floor than the guys coming in.
Him taking himself out of the equation makes the QB situation moving forward less politically complex
Or wherever he signs. He played his heart out, but was never going to get us across the finish line. Hope he finds a good match somewhere.
of a healthy football program. There is no Manning or Clausen arriving in the Spring.
ND is rightfully looking to the portal to enhance its QB depth chart. There are lots of options out there that would more than likely be better players than Drew Pyne. Additionally, the player he lost the job to this season will be coming back healthy in the spring. Unlike Kizer in 2015 (a similar situation, with the injury to Zaire in game 2) Pyne did not perform at a very high level (and even in Kizer’s case, he had to split the opener the next year with Zaire, though I think that was a BK mismanagement).
Pyne, meanwhile, could hurt his football career now by not making the move for the spring semester. Not only from the standpoint of getting to the new school for spring practice to learn the system/practice with his new teammates, but to have a spot there in the first place. Coaches likely want a QB they’re bringing in to be there in the spring. It’s unfortunately a game of transfering QB musical chairs, and Pyne runs the risk of not having a seat at a preferred destination if he doesn’t make the move now.
In a perfect world (or an imperfect college football world, but one pre-2019), he’d stay through spring, compete for the job, likely not emerge the winner of the competition, and then transfer in June. But we don’t live in that world.
...an even worse mark.
I think it's likely he sees the handwriting on the wall and wants an opportunity to play elsewhere. In which case, good for him.
dialogue between Freeman and Pyne. Perhaps I am wrong and facts will reveal that Pyne just didn't like playing football for Freeman/Rees and/or his just didn't like going to school at ND.
Regardless, he is on my list of good people who chose the right place and chose not to continue at ND.
Pyne wasn’t guaranteed to be the starter or even 2nd string, next year. The following year his path to first team might be even more precarious.
This allows us to move on and Pyne to go somewhere where he can be the man.
but I dont put much stock in any of these "prepared" statements that go out. They are all the same. I dont have a big problem if he wants to leave. I just have begun to question these departing statements. If it was so great, why are you leaving.
...being rather standard; it's the fact that he relayed the message at all. When I attend wakes and funerals, I don't develop a unique greeting for each family member; I say about the same thing each time. Having been on the receiving side of those occasions (and as an ND alum, of players departing), I appreciate the fact that the statement was made at all. It sure beats no message at all.
And he could have truly valued his teammates and time at ND while deciding that, on balance, it's best for his football career prospects to go somewhere where he has a better prospect of starting.
Let's say that we have a scale of zero to 100, zero representing a lousy scenario and 100 the best one. It's quite possible that Pyne valued the ND experience at 90 (so to speak) but the transfer scenario at 100. That doesn't mean that 90 wasn't pretty good.
than I intend.
But it’s now like changing jobs.
My youngest son is in the middle of this right now. He did remarkably well at his company, that was duly recognized via raises and promotions.
They like him. He likes them. He just wants something different at this point of his life.
Pyne advance notice would be the "stand-up" thing to do on Freeman's part and would minimize negative feelings from team mates about the situation. If this comes to pass, it's another sign of Freeman's good judgement. Now what would Kelly have done..........
To be clear I have no inside knowledge. My hunch about Rees is based largely on two premises: 1) Faith in Freeman. Based upon Freeman's knowledge plus his connections to Tressler and others he knows Rees must go. 2) Rees's play calling was more than just mediocre, it was terrible. The Navy game second half was the worst play calling I have witnessed as a college football fan for sixty years. (Note: I claim no expertise other than longtime fan and common sense.)
I didn't realize until before the BC game how much Rees depended upon McNulty -- last year's tight end coach and now BC's OC. McNulty wanted to stay at ND. After taking BC OC job McNulty said he spent more time on phone with Rees each week than he did with his own wife. Rees was in way over his head. Kelly used Reese as a surrogate -- as a front for Kelly to keep calling the plays. Without Kelly and McNulty, it was clear this year Rees needed to go.
Freeman is smart enough to have never said anything negative (explicitly) about Rees during the year. This will allow Rees to leave gracefully. No later than after the bowl Rees will announce he has taken another position.
Keep the Notre Dame scholarship, get the Notre Dame education, collect the
Notre Dame degree, and start an excellent career and life. I don't see any
advantage to this move for Drew unless he transfers to an Ivy or to a more
specialized degree program he is pursuing. There is no NFL future for Drew
that he thinks he can approach from some other coach and football team.
My sister’s friend got into ND and Davidson. He was a swimmer but not good enough to swim consistently at ND so he chose Davidson. He’s been tremendously successful in his career and doesn’t give ND a second thought. He’s one of countless examples of people I know personally who didn’t attend ND and ended up being super successful. Why ND alumni act like you can’t get a great education and alumni network elsewhere is beyond me. It makes us sound provincial and condescending.
Give the guy the right to make his own decisions and thank him for his contributions and wish him well.
I believe it really is just that.
And good for him.
He should do what’s best for himself, not us (or what we deem best for him). Best of luck to Drew in the future.
It’s the same yet opposite situation from a few months ago when ND pulled Sedrick Irvin’s scholarship and posters (including alums) posited it was in Irvin’s “best interest” to NOT attend and graduate from Notre Dame because he’d get more playing time elsewhere - even though ND was his dream school and he desperately wanted to attend ND.
have never competed on at D1 level understand.
For those that haven't played D1 sports, the idea of getting out there in front of a large crowd playing D1 football, especially as quarterback, is an awesome fantasy. It's why we all still play football video games (OK, just the losers of us).
I totally understand that this would be coming for an end for him, and to be able to extend it a few years at a different school would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Shoot, he can check the "starting QB for ND" box already. Now he just wants to maximize his chances to compete.
There is no "after college" football.
It’s not perfect that he is giving up his ND degree to make this move, but it’s not fatal either. He has 3 years left. ND will be in a loop trying to replace him all of those years. He knows that. Right now he has maximum good tape out there to try and convince others to take him. If he stays and sits next year, he loses most of that / is more damaged goods.
Let’s say he goes to a place like Rice. That’s not a bad degree, for example.
Is really, really dumb, and since I don’t think he’s dumb, he has to be graduating with an ND degree somehow.
There isn’t an ND alumnus worth his or her degree who won’t remember that he was our starting QB when we legitimately beat Clemson. That alone is worth a job offer - not to mention he’ll have earned the majority of his credits at ND and will likely graduate from another reputable school. He wants a chance to participate in spring practice. Without that he won’t play next year. It’s really simple.
...He enrolled early, so his semester count at ND would be:
Spring 2020
Fall 2020
Spring 2021
Fall 2021
Spring 2022
Fall 2022
He's in the business program (Mendoza), which requires a minimum of 128 hours to graduate. I suppose he could have taken 21 hours per semester (7 typical 3-hour classes) and some summer classes to be able to graduate this month. But for him to already have his degree would be sort of surprising. I haven;t been able to chase down any report on this one way or the other.
either through dual enrollment or AP classes. Which would make graduating now possible. I hope he does graduate from ND.
I'm guessing the credits would be accepted unless there is a capstone type of course that ND requires to be its own.
Must he be a current ND student to apply for graduation? If so, can he meet that requirement by reactivating himself with a summer online class?
That still leaves him probably 2-4 classes short.
And abandons an ND degree to pursue being QB elsewhere. No other program of equal academic reputation to ND’s is going to confer an undergraduate degree on him without requiring him to complete 60 credits there.
It’s impossible he’s this dumb so he must have a path to getting his ND degree.
...to come back some time later to complete his requirements.
If he earns a degree at his new school presumably using his Notre Dame credits, can he still re-enroll at ND and utilize the credits earned at ND?
I hope he does eventually earn some kind of degree from Notre Dame.
I’m sure you’re thinking of players who left ND early to go to the NFL, right? Are there others who transferred, did not get to the NFL, and then came back to ND to get their degree? I’m not aware of any.
Does Pyne actually believe he’s going to play in the NFL? He can’t possibly believe that. I get that he wants to play some more football before he hangs it up, but his playing career will be ending very soon. I do not see the point in deferring the attainment of an ND degree to a later date just so that he can go be Rutgers’ QB or whatever in 2023.
It boggles my mind that he’d make that decision and I don’t think he is.
to ND to graduate.
course, there was Bill Laimbeer, although his transfer out was not your typical voluntary move.
I place a ton of value on my Notre Dame education, but it's a bit ridiculous how some on this board and elsewhere act like choosing anything other than an ND education is tantamount to throwing one's life away. I don't see anything stupid about a college athlete wanting to enjoy the experience of competing in a sport they love as long as they can. And for crying out loud, he just led his team to a top-25 ranking and a win over a top-5 opponent. I don't think he's the future for us, but it's not crazy for him to think he can play meaningful football at another school. He seems like a smart kid who comes from a good family, he'll do just fine with a degree from State U or wherever he ends up.
Your subject line is the exact thought that kept coming to mind for me reading posts questioning his judgment. And an ND degree is wonderful but I think he can get by okay if he needs to wrap up his degree elsewhere. That would seem straightforward enough to explain easily to anyone with common sense in an interview.
He has probably played his whole life. Most in this Board can’t relate to that unless we are talking about Chess or Debate Club. He doesn’t want it to end so why let it. I do pretty well with my State U degree.
but he stepped in and did what he could with what abilities he had. Pyne represents Notre Dame and all it stands for and wish him all the best next year and hope he can find a good landing spot.
To get to the next level we need an elite QB. Pyne was serviceable but was far from elite. Will be interesting to see what the transfer portal brings.
If Pyne is out of the equation, Buchner and Angeli get amonth of reps with the first team and good competition to show their stuff. More than he,d get in spring ball. That frees the Spring up to look at Minchey and the transfer.
That being said, good luck to Pyne. Despite some struggles, did a fine job, imo.
He got thrown into the fire and he showed some real moxie.
Good luck to Drew. Clearly, he had the “talk” with Freeman.
school. Even to the untrained eye he never was that. He did his best for ND and I hope he gets an ND degree and then maybe a masters somewhere. I can't imagine he will be at a P5 program. Best off in the FCS.
The reality is everyone is a free agent all the time now. Anyone who thinks they won't start next year is a flight risk. Depth is a mirage. You need to play your best players even as freshmen and have high expectations for them. And if 2nd stringers have more potential, you need to promote them without hesitation.
There is no way he should come back quickly postop and risk getting hurt worse in an exhibition bowl game. There is zero upside.
Or the thought is that someone else will likely be the starter and Buchner isn't an essential cog and they can roll his shoulder out there.
That seems like KElly thinking though, not what we have seen of Freeman.
him going into next season. At best he would be a tie with Minchey -- but with him coming in early, that's not even all that likely. Basically, every QB we have on our roster even before any transfer has a higher ceiling than Pyne and likely no lower floor.
Angeli now has a year in the system and is Book compared to Pyne. Minchey has true QB size and with spring ball it isn't impossible for him to be viewed as worth a shot over Pyne -- or being rotated in to start. Buchner beat him out once.
The incoming transfer QB is the largest issue though for Pyne. Any transfer we get will have started as much or more as Pyne and will be 6'2" or taller with a bigger arm. It is a low bar.
Pyne is cashing in on this season while he can to get a starting spot on a low end P5 school.
You have no idea how good Angeli or Minchey are.
You seem to be incapable of grasping what the definition of a ceiling is. It is not proven performance. It is possible performance.
This week alone there have been hours of online sessions precisely on this topic across 4-5 pay sites. Every one of them says the same thing - Angeli has demonstrated in practices very clearly that he has a higher ceiling than Pyne. That alone makes my opinion informed. Then later in my college football player roommates have seen him practice several times and also say the same thing. Again, meaning my opinion isn’t out of thin air.
Buchner continues to have a higher ceiling too - just less reason to think he can ever get there mostly because he gets injured repeatedly.
Size alone makes Minchey by definition have a higher ceilng - again, learn the definition and then come back to me.
Cap it all off with every player going into next year will have been in our system 1-3 semesters. None of them will be starting cold, transfer and Minchey included.
I've been a constant critic of Pyne's game. But your statement is delusional. Pyne would certainly beat out Minchey next year. He would very likely beat out Angeli based on any available reports about his progression. (Sure, sophomores who haven't played surprise sometimes. But that's not the norm.) And he should likely currently have the edge on Buchner, given his total lack of both experience and mechanical development. That is the closest of those on the roster. But given how Buchner would be used, he may get hurt again anyway. Every single one of these guys has a lower floor than Pyne. For all his faults, he minimized turnovers and effectively managed the game. His efficiency rating was the best since Clausen.
We should seek out an upgrade in the portal. No doubt. And I certainly hope they can get an upgrade. But Pyne currently is the most reliable backup option from those remaining.
You can't say he is Book compared to Pyne when has had no meaningful playing time. For all we know, he is no better than Pat Dillingham
The decision on who plays is based 100% on potential and 0% based on performance to date. That's how it works in college when you don't have an established star and even more so when you have a 5'8" guy you have now seen the ceiling of in 10 games.
Angeli is true college size and has already shown an arm similar in nature to Book. That makes him Book at this same point in time and also graded out as someone with that type of potential. That also makes him a higher ceiling QB than Pyne.
It is largely moot though, because this is all 100% tied to the incoming transfer QB -- who will have started as many or more (likely) than Pyne and will be a normal sized QB for a top 25 team.
Pyne is also doing a 3 year evaluation and knows he can't start 3 more years at ND -- absolutely zero chance of that happening. He's cashing in now while he can.
"The decision on who plays is based 100% on potential and 0% based on performance to date."
When I coached, I attended many clinics. I learned many things from them.
The best lesson I ever learned was from a clinic held by the Fresno State staff. This was in Pat Hill's heyday there. When they would play anybody, anywhere, anytime.
And these were the words of Pat Hill that stayed with me:
"Always play production over potential".
Period.
How do you know his ceiling is higher? Just because he is taller and a bit of a stronger arm? There are QB's that are 6'5" with cannons for arms but aren't very good quarterbacks
Agree that Pyne is cashing in on his value, but disagree with your assessment of Angeli
The Phil Jurkevec thread is 2 doors down
Drew Lock.
I saw that Clemson sideline hug.
his best. Hope wherever he lands he does well and beats a team that I hate.
Anyone who thinks Buchner will be, or is, appreciably better than Pyne is delusional.
Maybe I'm remembering Hendrix incorrectly?
I am not a fan of Buckner at all and figured he would transfer. I have never been sold on Buckner. If they told Pyne Buckner would be the starter in the bowl game, it is a punch in the gut. I'd transfer too. Maybe they see Angeli coming along the spring and next season. Maybe they are waiting for a top notch QB to enter the portal. But to rely on Buckner next season makes me pessimistic (more so than I normally am). And to go to a bowl game with him against a top notch team? I guess they just want the practice time.
to the coaches if he has anything going for him. He looked awful in the first couple games. Truly awful. So if I were him and coaches I'd want to see what he can do having sat and watched.
Pyne's games, and it was against the #8 rated Defense in CFB on the road in week 1 when our OL was tippy-toeing around.
He outplayed Pyne by a mile in the Marshall game if you go by QBR.
Not saying he's great - he's definitely unproven and will be completely rusty - but he was not set up to succeed.
I do think Buchner would have played well in more than 3-4 games this season.
...Buchner was 18 of 32, 201 yards, zero TDs, 2 interceptions, including the pick-6 that effectively cost us the game. Rating: 53.7. Rather weak.
Pyne was 3 of 6, 20 yards, 1 TD, 1 interception. Rating: 15.4. Rather meaningless, in my opinion.
EDIT:
Year to date QBRs for Buchner and Pyne:
Buchner, 52.9
Pyne, 67.8
Kind of important dynamic
QBR shows Buchner clearly outplayed Pyne.
The passing was equal.
And do you put that last INT on Buchner or Thomas?
...that you chose. But if they are important, someone should report them. Here you go:
Buchner: 24 attempts, 62 net yards, 2.6 yards per carry, 2 TDs (2 games)
Pyne: 47 attempts, 108 net yards, 2.3 per carry, 2 TDs (11 games)
But it should be noted Buchners other game was against Ohio State.
No opportunity to play shit defenses like USC, Navy, UNLV, BYU, UNC, BC, Syracuse, Cal, and Stanford (9 games).
It was the 4th quarter and I think he got to play 2 series of downs. Don’t really think that’s much of a sample size to compare to TB’s.
It is a small sample and he might develop into a good QB, but so far he has not shown the ability to read defenses and tends to throw the ball into traffic.
So far, he hasn’t played like a starting QB on a top 20 team and my guess would be that he isn’t going to develop enough to be one.
Just making a comparison vs. the play of the other QB.
the OL and running game were not good the first two weeks. He might have improved with reps. If he stays Im sure he will compete for the starting job next year. Nothing promised to any transfer I hope.
The transfer should not be handed the job, but I expect the transfer will win it, if it’s some of the names being floated around.
His only positive attribute is running the ball.
He does not seem to throw the ball well or go through progressions well.
Not all QB's have to have a perfect throwing motion, but I think Buchner's mechanics negatively impact his throws and, as you mention, he has a problem with progressions...similar to Pyne
...my thoughts. They changed the offense to suit Pyne's abilities more, but the only thing I saw from Buckner was his running ability. I see them bringing in someone they want to start for a year or two from the portal. Someone to mentor the underclassmen and get them ready.
Good luck to him. Greatly appreciate him giving it his all.
was drafted by the Boston Patriots. I sat on the Board of Trustees at Olivet with him. One of the nicest people I've ever met. Just an all-around good guy.
Seriously, though, Drew Pyne is a badass and I’d like to see him kick Michigan’s ass next year, where he goes.
If so, then he might be able to get it after this semester. He would have six regular semesters at ND plus 3 more summer sessions -- which is 6 credits per summer on the low end and 9 on the high end. 18-27 more credits.
My guess is he is short 2-3 classes.
after this semester. That's a shame. He will get to play somewhere else, but he is trading away his ND degree for it.
That makes me inclined to think he is graduating this semester. Either that, or he wasn’t on pace to graduate until after next fall. Hopefully it’s the former.
If he was on pace to graduate in May, I’d presume he’d stay on through spring ball and transfer after. I think that’s the typical pace for football players (that’d be 7 regular semesters plus 3 summer sessions) but I’m hoping Pyne was accelerated/came in with some credits that would allow him to graduate this fall.
As stated originally he’d really have to have gone over the top every summer to have any shot of being able to finish by the end of this semester.
Now, maybe if he is 1-2 classes short he can somehow pull it off after the fact via online classes? No idea if he’s allowed to in effect finish Nd while at some other place playing.
He has to know he has no shot at the NFL so if he just wants to keep playing football while getting a graduate degree paid for elsewhere, good for him. That said, he doesn’t have the talent to start anywhere other than bottom end of major conferences and if he’s trading a ND undergrad degree for a [Kansas, for example] one, well then that would be a really stupid life decision.
Hope he has or will have his ND degree very soon.
So add Spring '20 to AY 20-21 and AY 21-22 and Fall '22, and you get 3 full academic years plus 3 summers ... totally plausible for him to be graduating.
He can't have realistically have visions of playing in the NFL. If he is not getting his ND degree, he is an idiot.
Estime at FB
Diggs & Tyree at HB
What a kick in the dick that would be. You step in and do the best you possibly can, finish strong nationally in areas such as passing efficiency, only to give up your spot to the QB that has been out almost all year with an injury that wasn't all that impressive when he was starting. Part of me doubts Buchner will be ready, but that would be the ultimate nut punch
Pyne would have started the bowl game. If Buchner was healthy enough to play, he would do so in a more limited fashion. Now it appears Buchner will have to start and play a lot. I hope he is up to it.
My sense is Pyne elected to leave because he wants to play next year and was told ND is looking for a veteran in the portal. He saw the writing on the wall.
Play the players who can help you. I don't want to see Houston Griffith on the field, for example. It is a new world.
At the way position is headed. If a transfer is being recruited, ostensibly with a promise of starting, I would expect all the others are reading the same tea leaves. In the NFL, contracts are negotiated between the players agent, and the general manager, at the terms of termination,arer in the contract. In college Recruitment is based on the word of the coaches to the players family. There was never any way a transfer could come in without pushing out the one or two quarterbacks with the least amount of eligibility remaining. Although I don’t follow other teams, I’m not aware of any time a transfer was brought in to replace a returning starter except when there was a coaching change. That’s why I think all the quarterbacks currently on the roster have to wonder if the coach recruited them has given up on them. And losing Pine we will lose three years of eligibility, and at least three more years of eligibility if another one of our quarterbacks transfers and what we will gain is one, possibly two years of eligibility in a grad transfer or transfer. If it’s a one year transfer, this guarantees that we will start the following season with an inexperienced quarterback, just like we did this year.
I hope the whole room doesn’t flip over just for another Jack Coan.
Luke Doty was the starting QB early in 2021 before being lost to a season-ending injury. Zeb Noland (who had come to South Carolina as a grad. assistant, before being returned to the roster) and Jason Brown split time as starting QB the rest of the way.
This year, of course, South Carolina brought in Spencer Rattler. Noland returned to the coaching staff and Brown transferred to Virginia Tech. Doty is still on the roster, however. This is Shane Beamer's second season as head coach at South Carolina. Until looking it up, I didn't realize that Beamer had come from Oklahoma as an assistant. That accounts for his relationship with Rattler.
I would think they feel slighted that the ND QBs couldn't get them the ball. We've got some talented receivers coming in, I have to think there's negative recruiting against ND with receivers based on our QB situation.
He did not win the job.
In the portal era, it’s easy to just leave. What we’ll be getting is probably someone who is doing just that. And the risk is that we go into 2024 with no experienced qb. I’m curious how many more wins someone like Card gets us. I don’t see us competing for a title next ‘em year regardless.
And I’m assuming Freeman laid out the plan to bring in a starter to Pyne and did not just push Pyne out the door.
It would be malpractice on Freeman's part to assess the QB situation for 2023 and not make a move in free agency. Even if ND isn’t a championship-caliber team in 2023, the head coach needs to achieve the best results possible within reason and ethics.
was playing high school football in New Canaan, CT a few years ago. That he got to basically be the starting QB at Notre Dame for a season is a pretty good result for him. It would be nice if he stuck around to be an insurance policy for us, but it is no slight for a program that supposedly has championship aspirations to be looking for much more out of a starting QB then he can provide. If Freeman watched this season and concluded that Pyne is the guy going forward he wouldn't be worthy of his job.
his priority going forward he made a smart decision and I wish him well.
The very top of the FCS might be better than Pyne, but by the same token the Top FCS QBs are also likely better than the FBS Mid-Majors, and some of the FBS Power 5 starters, if we are using the NFL draft as a barometer of QB talent.
Pyne will have plenty of FBS suitors, several of whom he can lead to a winning record.
Clearly he does not have the physical tools of a 4-star QB but it is curious that not just ND and the recruiting services were in error in their assessment.
His performance against USC was comparable to UCLA's QB without the benefit of a USC turnover.
So while Pyne may have benefitted from the other ND talent around him, he also faced a detriment in the offensive scheme under which he operated.
listed at 5'7".
I think you can see the difference between vyper, where we need 3 guys every game l, and qb. The other times we recruited transfers were when we literally didn’t have enough players at the position, and/or a starter was leaving.
Do you know of a time when a team brought in a transfer qb to replace a starter when there was not a coaching change?
other than Minchey.
He delegated decision-making on QBs and thus, accountability for this year's QB performance to Rees, who chose Buchner as his starter, likely with agreement from Freeman.
Freeman has made his assessment and feels the QB group needs strengthening from outside, similar to how other positional players are made to feel about being buried on the depth chart when Joseph, Grupe, Skowronek et al are brought in.
I'm not saying it's a great thing, but it is - and will continue to be - SOP at ND.
Both played in appreciable time in (Cinci, Wisc, Marshall)
If he plays in the bowl game he will most likely have Estime and Diggs at full strength with a much improved O-line (USC game not withstanding). It would be interesting to see how Tyler would perform when he is not the only runner to worry about. We may be surprised.
Part of the reason we didn’t have a running game with Buchner was that no one respected his ability to pass. Pyne was by far the better passer.
a hot mess in the first few games.
if he is healthy enough
...Buchner was going to get the nod ahead of Pyne which prompted him walking.
Although I certainly believe that Pyne knows we will be bringing in a transfer QB next year and he probably sees the writing on the wall.
That would be ironic
everyone was saying he would stay, get his degree (which he will in December I believe) and move on.
He would not want to back-up Buchner forever.
I don't think anyone expected him to become the starter, but it was for injury. We saw his ceiling and his floor. He definitely has a higher floor than Buchner, but also a lower ceiling. Peak Pyne was USC. There is not a single person on this or any website saying he is good enough to win a NC and that is the standard.
I wish him nothing but the best, as long as he doesn't play us.
As for the bowl game, I tend to doubt Buchner will be ready but who knows. If not, Angeli gets 10 or 20 practices as QB1 to show off what he can do. If it is Buchner, presumably he will run the Pyne offense (no RPO no meaningful QB run choices) rather than the Buchner offense that we started the year with. Personally, I would like to see what Buchner can do playing QB rather than being the lead rusher in every game as well as the QB. I also want to see Angeli.
While I want to win the bowl game, it is a scrimmage. Depending on when he goes into the portal, Pyne could still play.
1. The prospect of Buchner’s recovery ahead of schedule
2. Kenny Minchey coming in January
3. The prospect of a pretty big name heading our way via the portal
Whatever the reason, I wish Drew Pyne the best. He had a very difficult job this season and he gave it his best effort.
So does that mean Angeli will start in the bowl game?
Is there any substance behind the rumors he would be ready for a bowl game? If so and if coaches have somehow suggested he would get the nod over Pyne in a bowl game, I would bounce as well. I have no clue if there is any truth to Buchner being ready by a bowl game so just curious if there is any substance to the rumor. I wish Pyne the best...he did a great job under a huge spotlight
I think he's been doing some light, non-contact practicing recently.
But I don't think anyone outside the program could really say anything definitive about his ability to play, at least not right now.
and be like he was last season for us during the bowl game. If Pyne skips the bowl game the freshman will almost certainly be our starter and Buchner would perhaps play an extra series or two beyond plan A for him.
This is if Buchner stays on track -- which isn't a lock either.
I can't imagine that being the case, but who knows?
That and he knows he will never ever get 3 more years as a starter at ND -- which is what he has remaining. Even if by some miracle he managed to start again next season, Carr, Minchey and yet another transfer would take him out the following year.
This is pretty simple stuff...
Pyne is presently at his all-time high point for negotiating a spot at another school that is on the bottom half of a P5 conference. He is cashing in on that because he can't beat out 3-4 other players at ND next year.
But nothing confirmed. This seems like it portends good news on that front, though.