Duke QB Riley Leonard enters transfer portal, Notre Dame likely destination: Sources

By Nicole Auerbach, Max Olson and Pete Sampson

Duke quarterback Riley Leonard has entered the transfer portal ahead of his final year of eligibility and is likely to land at Notre Dame, according to program and industry sources. Here’s what you need to know:

• Leonard was a two-year starter for the Blue Devils and a huge part of their resurgence under coach Mike Elko. He entered the season with high expectations, and he threw for 175 yards and rushed for 98 in Duke’s season-opening win over then-No. 9 Clemson.
• Though Leonard missed multiple games with injuries this season, he is considered one of the top returning quarterbacks in the country. In 2022, Leonard completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 2,967 yards and 20 touchdowns while adding 699 yards on the ground for 13 scores.
• Notre Dame is looking to replace Sam Hartman. Coach Marcus Freeman said that he expects to add a quarterback out of the portal to his roster. Notre Dame opens the 2024 season against Texas A&M, which is Elko’s new home.

How would Leonard fit into Notre Dame’s depth chart?

The Irish are set to bring back sophomore Steve Angeli, freshman Kenny Minchey and early enrollee CJ Carr during the spring semester, with Carr intending to enroll for bowl practices later this month. From that group, only Angeli has meaningful college experience, and even that was limited to end-of-game work with Notre Dame already winning by a considerable margin. He finished the season 19-of-25 for 272 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.

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Freeman has already acknowledged that taking on a fourth quarterback could lead to the exit of a younger player at the position, which is what happened last year when Notre Dame told Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner that the program was going to pursue a transfer. Pyne left the team during bowl prep and transferred to Arizona State. Buchner stayed to compete with Hartman, ultimately losing that competition and departing for Alabama.

It’s not clear how adding Leonard would impact Angeli or Minchey. Program sources have indicated a transfer addition won’t impact Carr. — Pete Sampson, Notre Dame staff writer

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(Photo: Melina Myers / USA Today)