Rece Davis speculates on the football future of Tyler Buchner
Tyler Buchner stumped many with his decision to enter the transfer portal this week. His choice to leave Alabama wasn’t the shocking part but the fact that he’s doing so to pursue the sport of lacrosse again is what got everyone’s attention.
Now, in the days following his choice to transfer, Rece Davis has some questions. As he pondered on the ‘College GameDay Podcast’ this week, he wonders if this is a final decision or if, at some point or another, Buchner will return to the gridiron.
“The question I would have about Tyler? Because I don’t know what his graduation status is – is he through with football? Or is he going back to lacrosse, like, in the interim? In a year where he would have to sit for football?” asked Davis.
“My understanding is he’d be immediately eligible in a different sport. That would be interesting.”
Buchner just finished his redshirt sophomore season with the Crimson Tide. That came after two seasons with Notre Dame. In his three campaigns overall, he saw some action, including some as a starter, where he completed 75-137 (54.7%) of his passes for 1,010 yards, six touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
Coming out of high school, Buchner was a four-star prospect that finished as a Top-100 recruit and Top-15 QB prospect in 2021 per On3’s Industry Ranking. However, he was also a highly-regarded lacrosse player before going with the football route.
The expectation now is that he will return to South Bend and potentially play for the Fighting Irish’s team under Kevin Corrigan. The program is coming off their first national championship.
Still, he hasn’t officially ruled out a return to football somewhere down the line. That’s why, to Davis, this is the latest portal entry that’s as intriguing as it is.
“It’s a fascinating time with all of the moves,” said Davis. “It sort of blows my mind. I mean people are going to have judgements about players. And players, certainly at that position, want to know that their coaching staff believes in them. It’s a fascinating thing.”
Buchner potentially joining Notre Dame lacrosse: ‘It’s something he really wants to do’
Tyler Buchner entered the transfer portal on Monday but not in the way you might think. He’s likely going to be playing men’s lacrosse next year back at Notre Dame.
On3’s Pete Nakos, who has been reporting on Buchner’s ongoing portal story, joined Andy Staples to discuss the latest he has heard on the former Alabama quarterback and what went into him making this rather unprecedented decision.
“I think that he just wants to reassess and explore all options,” Nakos told Staples. “This season at Alabama definitely did not go as I think he envisioned and maybe some others envisioned, obviously. Jalen Milroe has been fantastic and Alabama is in the College Football Playoff now, largely because of his performance in the late stretch. But, yeah, Tyler Buchner is going to be in the men’s lacrosse free agency market.
“As funny as that is to say? I think it’s something he really wants to do. He is not going to rush this decision, but as Blue and Gold’s Mike Singer reported earlier tonight — and I have heard from some other people, too — (he could be) returning to Notre Dame being on the Fighting Irish’s men’s lacrosse team. It would be a really good fit for Tyler.”