Riley Leonard’s departure from Notre Dame opens the door to a new era at quarterback, but not without questions about his legacy. One analyst recently pointed to a surprising flaw in his game that may have held the team back during critical downs.
With Leonard now on the Indianapolis Colts, highly touted recruit CJ Carr is set to take over as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback. The Irish offense could see a major shift in rhythm, execution, and efficiency heading into the 2025 season.
Leonard’s Hidden Struggles Exposed as Carr Era Begins
Leonard’s time at Notre Dame showed flashes of brilliance but also drew criticism from experts about his fit in the Irish offense. His ability to read and execute read options and RPO plays left room for improvement, especially in late-down situations.
“What’s interesting is as much as I loved what Riley Leonard brought to the offense, he was surprisingly bad at reading RPOs and running read zone stuff,” one analyst noted during a breakdown of Notre Dame’s third-down strategy.
Leonard’s background, however, suggests he is a more well-rounded player. A two-sport star at Fairhope High School in Alabama, Leonard made a name for himself at Duke before arriving in South Bend. In 2022, he led Duke to a 9-4 season with 2,967 passing yards, 699 rushing yards, and 33 total touchdowns.
After Duke head coach Mike Elko left for Texas A&M, Leonard transferred to Notre Dame. He finished his college career with 7,311 passing yards and 45 touchdowns across four seasons and was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
View this post on Instagram
Despite his college success, PFSN Analyst Ian Cummings’ scouting report on Leonard highlighted some inconsistencies.
Cummings said, “Due to his inconsistency as a processor and in terms of his accuracy, Leonard occasionally put Notre Dame in difficult situations. His sense of pressure needs quite a bit of work, and his mechanics could use some fine-tuning before he hits the NFL level.
“As a toolsy backup quarterback with a championship game appearance, Leonard could end up selected higher than some expect. He’s certainly worth keeping on your bench to see if he develops, but expecting anything in the way of immediate production would be a bold assumption. He would be good value in Round 6 and a potential steal in Round 7, though drafting him much higher than that could be considered a stretch.”
Leonard’s under-pressure grade was just 44.6, ranking 38th among 56 draft-eligible quarterbacks. This shows he had difficulty making quick decisions when defenses forced him to react. The numbers tell a story of a quarterback who could make plays but struggled with consistency when the pocket collapsed.
These issues became more apparent during Notre Dame’s biggest games. While Leonard could scramble and extend plays with his legs, his tendency to bail out of the pocket too early sometimes cost the Irish crucial first downs. The RPO struggles were particularly damaging on third-and-medium situations where the Irish needed precise execution.
What Carr Brings to the Table
Looking ahead, Notre Dame turns to freshman Carr to lead the team into the 2025 season. The 4-star recruit from Saline, Michigan, brings a different skill set that may not be as flashy as Leonard’s but could provide more consistency.
“CJ Carr is a pretty good athlete… I think those are things he can at least be a chain mover on, where Riley was a horse… CJ is more of a chain mover,” the analyst added, suggesting Carr may offer steadier execution even if he lacks Leonard’s explosive upside.
Carr’s high school tape shows a quarterback who processes information quickly and makes smart decisions with the football. While he may not have Leonard’s raw athleticism, his pocket presence and ability to read defenses could be exactly what Notre Dame needs for sustained success.
The transition comes at a crucial time for the Irish program. Notre Dame had a fantastic 2024 season, finishing with a 14-2 record under head coach Marcus Freeman with Leonard as their starter. They ended the year as runners-up after losing to Ohio State 34-23 in the championship game.
Now, with Carr stepping in, Notre Dame hopes to find the consistency it needs for a championship run. The young quarterback will have the benefit of learning from Leonard’s mistakes while building on the foundation Freeman has established in South Bend.
The Irish coaching staff believes Carr’s decision-making ability and football IQ will translate well to the college level. His ability to read RPOs and execute them properly could be the missing piece that takes Notre Dame’s offense to the next level. While Leonard brought excitement and big-play ability, Carr’s steady approach might be exactly what the Irish need to get over the championship hump.
