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Tyler Buchner ‘under consideration’ to return to QB, says Marcus Freeman
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Tyler Buchner’s crazy college football saga might just have time for one more unlikely turn.
The former Notre Dame quarterback was a signal-caller for the Fighting Irish in 2021 and 2022 before transferring to Alabama in 2023 and then coming right back to South Bend in 2024 as a lacrosse player and walk-on wide receiver. If that all wasn’t enough, now Buchner apparently could be headed back to where his college journey all began, which is behind center as a quarterback for Notre Dame.
Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman said in his spring practice wrap-up press conference on Wednesday that Buchner returning to the quarterback room in 2025 is “under consideration.” CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey are battling for the starting job, but a need for depth could necessitate the move by Buchner.
“That’s something we’ve discussed. We’ll look at the total number of arms, bodies that we have to practice, but it’s definitely under consideration to be able to move Tyler back into the QB room as we look into the summer and fall camp,” said Freeman, whose QB room was depleted a bit with the recent transfer of Steve Angeli.
Here is Freeman’s full press conference to close out spring football at Notre Dame:
Buchner started 3 games at quarterback for Notre Dame in 2022, earning Gator Bowl MVP honors in a victory over South Carolina. Then things got crazy for Buchner, who spent the 2023 season backing up Jalen Milroe at Alabama.
After 1 season in the SEC, it was back to South Bend for Buchner in 2024, but with a twist. Buchner was coming back to play lacrosse for the Fighting Irish, and he helped them win the national title in 2024. Then he spent the fall as a walk-on wide receiver for Notre Dame and almost was part of 2 national championship teams in 1 year, as Notre Dame got to the national title game before losing to Ohio State.
Now, it might be back to quarterback for Buchner in the fall.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
