Notre Dame QB Drew Pyne to enter transfer portal
Notre Dame’s 10-game starting quarterback this year intends to explore his transfer options. Junior Drew Pyne will enter the transfer portal, he said on social media.
ESPN was first to report the news.
“One of my proudest honors is to have been a student-athlete at the University of Notre Dame,” Pyne wrote in his statement announcing the move. “I have been blessed to be among great coaches and teachers and play with teammates I consider brothers. Our bonds will be lifelong. Now, it’s time for me to take on a new challenge, and I will be entering the transfer portal.
“While I’m excited about what lies ahead, I want to thank the entire Notre Dame community for their support. I am forever grateful for the experience and memories.”
Pyne will not play in Notre Dame’s bowl game, a source confirmed to BlueandGold.com.
Pyne took over as the Irish’s starter after sophomore Tyler Buchner suffered a shoulder injury Sept. 10 that required surgery. He threw for 2,021 yards with 22 touchdowns and 6 interceptions this season on 8.0 yards per attempt. He completed 64.6 percent of his passes and finished No. 20 nationally in pass efficiency, at 155.3. Notre Dame went 8-2 in his starts.
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Buchner won the job over Pyne in fall camp, but was injured in his second start. Head coach Marcus Freeman initially said the timeline for Buchner’s return was about four months, which would force him to miss the season. Freeman did not rule out Buchner returning for the bowl game, though, when asked about his status Nov. 21. He said Buchner had returned to practice on a limited basis.
“That’s still to be determined,” Freeman said. “Right now, our docs are not 100 percent sure. It will be based on how he progresses over these next couple weeks.
“If it’s what’s best for him and he can be full-go, be able to be healthy and protect himself to prepare for a bowl game, we’ll have no hesitation to give him that opportunity.”
Notre Dame will learn its bowl destination Sunday. The game is not expected to be earlier than the Holiday Bowl (San Diego) Dec. 28 and could be as late as the ReliaQuest Bowl (Tampa, Fla.) Jan. 2.
Pyne will have three seasons of eligibility at his next destination. He has the COVID-19 bonus season because he was on a 2020 roster. He played two games in 2021, allowing him to preserve a redshirt. He enrolled in January 2020. The New Canaan, Conn., native was a four-star prospect and the No. 238 player in the 2020 On3 Consensus.
Without Pyne, Notre Dame has three scholarship quarterbacks on the 2022 roster: Buchner, sophomore Ron Powlus III and freshman Steve Angeli. The Irish have a commitment from 2023 four-star quarterback Kenny Minchey and are expected to add another from the transfer portal.
