QB Riley Leonard picks his next school: Notre Dame
Posted December 12, 2023 10:49 a.m. EST
Updated December 12, 2023 4:44 p.m. EST
Former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard committed to Notre Dame, he announced Tuesday.
In a video posted on social media, Leonard walks through Notre Dame Stadium and appears in the team's locker room.
"A dream come true," Leonard wrote in the post. "Go Irish."
Leonard entered the transfer portal shortly after Duke's season. Leonard was injured against Notre Dame at Wallace Wade Stadium earlier in the year.
It is the second straight year that Notre Dame has taken a transfer quarterback from an ACC school. Wake Forest's Sam Hartman played one season for the Irish in 2023.
The 6-foot-4 Leonard played 27 games for Duke across three seasons. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2022, passing for 2,967 yards and 20 touchdowns and adding 699 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns for the Blue Devils. He was MVP of the Military Bowl and earned honorable mention All-ACC honors.
Leonard led the Blue Devils to a season-opening upset of Clemson in 2023. Duke was 4-0 and hosted ESPN's "College GameDay" before its showdown with Notre Dame in Durham. Duke led throughout, but Hartman converted fourth-and-16 with a 17-yard run late in the fourth quarter.
Duke lost 21-14, and Leonard was injured in the final seconds as he tried to lead Duke back down the field.
The ankle injury and a subsequent toe injury limited Leonard to just seven games. He passed for 1,102 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 342 yards and four touchdowns.
Notre Dame does not play Duke in 2024. The Irish do not play NC State or UNC, either.
Notre Dame opens its 2024 season at Texas A&M, who will be coached by former Duke coach Mike Elko. Elko left Duke after the season. Duke picked Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz as its next coach.
Several other key Duke players have also entered the transfer portal.
Duke (7-5) will take on Troy (11-2) in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 23. Troy has won 10 straight games.
