QB Jack Coan Quickly Adjusting to Life at Notre Dame
Quarterback Jack Coan entered the Transfer Portal and showed patience as Notre Dame was finishing up the 2020 season. Tommy Rees had the Rose Bowl on his mind, but after the Irish returned home, Coan's process started to move quickly.
It only took a few days for Coan to decide to use a graduate transfer to Notre Dame, a place he had been committed as a lacrosse player.
Coan's decision was far from the final part of his process as it was really just beginning as he now had to fit into a new culture and get to know a new team.
"I think the biggest challenge is coming in and getting to know all the guys," Coan stated. "You walk into a brand new room or however many guys there are and I think it's around 90 - just trying to get to know all of them personally. Getting to know all their stories and who they are. I think that's a huge part of being a leader - being a guy that can have relationships with everyone."
It might seem like a tall task to come into an established culture and a program that has made the College Football Playoff two of the last three years, but Coan adjusted with ease.
"I feel it's come pretty natural," explained Coan. "I'm not a guy that really tries to get away from who he is. I'm sort of who I am and overall, I try to be a good person and be nice to everyone and try to talk to people. I don't think it's been too big of a challenge or too different for me."
Coan's other challenge is building chemistry with new receivers and learning a new offense, which has come naturally over his first couple of months in South Bend.
"They're amazing," Coan said. "There are some great players. I think there is so much depth too. I think there are a bunch of guys that can play and contribute. It's been really fun throwing to them."
The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder threw for 3,278 yards and 23 touchdowns over his career at Wisconsin and has noticed similarities and differences between the two offenses through five practices.
"In both offenses, there's a bunch of similar concepts and similar plays with certain receivers and certain routes that are different here than they were there," said Coan. "I'd say here, it's a little less huddling and a little faster pace and probably a little more balance as far as passing and running the ball."
Wisconsin didn't ask Coan to use his leg much as he's credited with -11 rushing yards on 76 carries with a game-high of 27 yards.
Coan believes his legs can be a weapon and expects Rees to use him as a runner in 2021.
"I'll do whatever the coaches ask me to do," Coan explained. "I think running is part of my game that I can use when I need to as far as scrambling and things like that. When I was at Wisconsin, I'd rather hand the ball off to Jonathan Taylor than run the ball.
"I'm excited to use my legs a little bit here and I think I'm more athletic than people think. I'm excited for it."
And speaking of excitement, Coan and just about everyone else is very aware the Badgers and Irish will square off the last weekend of September at Soldier Field.
However, Coan doesn't have the game circled and he certainly isn't thinking about it.
"As far as our game versus Wisconsin, right now, I'm not really focused on that or anything," said Coan. "After the first night, I said I was coming here, I was getting questions about that. That's crazy. I wasn't even at school yet. I'm just trying to focus on getting better right now and that's it."