The Evolution of Riley Leonard Continues
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Play by play. Quarter by quarter. Game by game. Week by Week.
Riley Leonard continues to evolve — even if the progression seems marginal.
“Do I feel 100% confident yet? No, but some things are starting to become second nature in our checks and the offense,” Leonard said after the Irish’s 51-14 win over Navy here on Saturday.
“I think I’m still trying to figure out whether we got it or not. It’s been a work in progress.”
While he may not be the gunslinger quarterback you see across the nation, the growth through the air is there.
Following Notre Dame’s loss to NIU, Leonard has continued to take steps forward. The signal caller has completed 68 percent of his passes for over 1,000 yards and 18 total touchdowns, while only turning it over twice.
That progression continued to be on display Saturday.
Deep into the second quarter, the Irish signal-caller originally had his eyes peeled downfield, looking for a knockout strike, but as the Midshipmen locked down the backline, Leonard stayed patient. He kept his feet moving and found Mitchell Evans on a crossing route, waiting until he cleared the middle of the field before firing a 12-yard catch to move the chains.
It’s a play like that, which may seem inconsequential, something every quarterback should be able to do, that shows Leonard is continuing to evolve. A month earlier and there is a good chance Leonard sails the ball into a group of defenders in the end zone, or tries to scramble at the first sign of daylight.
October Leonard didn’t. Showing the trust he is gaining in himself, in his receivers and in the Notre Dame system.
“With this receiver crew, I really trust so many of them at this point,” Leonard said. “Half the time, I don’t even have to look out there and know who’s out there, who’s running around out there. I know they’re going to be on time.”
But progress isn’t linear, one step forward often time leads to one step back — Leonard knows that most of all.
“No matter what happens on the last play you can’t let it affect you on the next,” Leonard said. “You got five seconds on every play, might as well win that one.”
Late in the first quarter with the Irish already up two scores, Leonard was going for the kill. The signal-caller tried to connect with Jayden Thomas on a corner route in the back corner of the end zone, but shorted the throw. Thomas did his best to try and haul it in, wrapping his outstretched fingertips on the ball, but Navy defender Dashaun Peele broke up the pass. If it wasn’t for Thomas’ effort, the ball probably drops into Peele’s hands.
With the bad also comes the good, and Leonard flashed both with the Irish facing fourth down. Leonard found Jordan Faison across the middle, but the pass was behind him, the receiver was able to juggle the ball for 17 yards and the first down.
The Fairhope, Alabama native took the time to acknowledge that the Navy defense gave him some trouble, but the trust he has in the game plan translated on the field.
“Shout out to their defense because we were paranoid all week,” Leonard said. “We still came into this game thinking, ‘What the heck is going on back there?’ I know I did.”
Unlike in previous installments this season, Leonard and Co. kept the momentum going into the second half.
On his opening drive of the second half, the quarterback used his legs for a 24-yard run on third down to keep the drive alive. Then he finished it with a 37-yard dime down the sideline for Beaux Collins and his second passing touchdown.
“At the end of the day, like with this offense, whoever's in there, whoever's running the route, I have no problem throwing it to him,” Leonard said.
Leonard and the Irish cruised through the rest of Saturday’s game, and while his final passing stat line may have not been flashy — 13-for-21, 178 yards and two touchdowns — he led Notre Dame to a victory for the sixth straight time.
“What you’re seeing reflects coach (Mike) Denbrock and Riley’s growth in their relationship,” head coach Marcus Freeman said. “Their ability to have multiple calls come in a play and check to the one we believe is going to have success. There’s a trust between the quarterbacks and the wideouts, it’s continuing to grow. Riley’s throwing the ball with confidence. Those are some of the big-play passes.”
A lot of Leonard’s progression comes from wisdom passed on from quarterbacks of Notre Dame past. The likes of Sam Hartman, Ian Book and Tommy Rees have shared what comes with being the guy in South Bend.
The one thing it’s taught him? He isn’t taking anything for granted.
“Every single one of them just told me, don't take it for granted and don't have any regrets,” Leonard said. “I think regret only comes from missed opportunities, not failed opportunities. So like, if you want to throw it and you don't throw it, let it rip, you're going to regret that. But if you throw it, something bad happens, it is what it is, at least you gave it a shot.”
Leonard has the Irish on the inside track for a playoff spot and their most successful season in four years. He’s making positive plays and impacting winning. He’s continuing to evolve. If that isn’t a sign of what the future could hold, what is?
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