Notre Dame quarterback Jack Coan sounds off on facing former team

Notre Dame quarterback Jack Coan admits it’s going to be “weird” when the No. 12-ranked Fighting Irish takes on his former team, No. 18-ranked Wisconsin.

“It’s definitely going to be weird,” Coan said via ESPN. “It’s going to be a lot of my friends I’m going to be playing against, guys I still talk to today. But at the end of the day, it’s just another football game and I like to think I won’t get more excited for one game than the next.”

Saturday’s game will be a full circle moment for Coan in more way than one. Coming out of high school, Jack Coan turned down a lacrosse scholarship at Notre Dame to play quarterback at Wisconsin. Now at Notre Dame, the senior will face the team he spent nearly four seasons with.

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly believes his quarterback will be able to manage his emotions against his former team.

“Jack is a competitor — he loved his time at Wisconsin,” Kelly said. “But it’s a new chapter for him. He’s very mature, level-headed. He wants to beat Wisconsin.”

Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst is focused on the opponent, despite the emotions evolved.

“Obviously we have respect for Jack and appreciate who he is as a person and player here,” Chryst said. “But it’s Wisconsin versus Notre Dame.”

After three seasons at Wisconsin, Jack Coan suffered a broken foot prior to the 2020 season. In relief, quarterback Graham Mertz led Wisconsin to a 4-3 record, throwing for 1,238 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions in seven games.

Coan then graduate transferred, enrolling at Notre Dame in January.

Jack Coan won the starting quarterback job over sophomore Drew Pyne and freshman Tyler Buchner at Notre Dame and has led the Fighting Irish to an undefeated record with wins over Florida State, Toledo and Purdue. In three games, Coan has thrown for 828 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions, completing nearly 63% of his passes. Coan notably, popped his dislocated finger back into place before throwing a game-winning touchdown against Toledo.

In his time at Wisconsin, Jack Coan threw for 4,106 yards, 31 touchdowns and ten interceptions, completing over 67% of his passes. In 2019, Coan threw for 2,727 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions. Coan led the Badgers to a first place finish in the Big Ten West and the Rose Bowl, where Wisconsin lost to Oregon 28-27.

No. 12 Notre Dame takes on No. 18 Wisconsin at Chicago’s Soldier Field.