Hits Just Keep On Coming For Notre Dame: QB1 Tyler Buchner Needs Surgery And Is Out For The Season

Absolutely devastating for Buchner. By all accounts he's a great kid who has had his development absolutely fucked over by circumstances out of his control. He lost his senior season of HS football in California due to covid. Then he barely played as a true freshman (which is understandable, but everyone needs reps to get better). And now his sophomore season is over before it started. 

The internet has been baffling me a lot in the last week, but the ND fanbase needs to chill about Buchner and Rees. Sure, Buchner didn't look like Patrick Mahomes out of the gates, but we are talking about a kid who hasn't been a starter in literally years. And it's not like he could even work out or train with teammates during covid. His development was always going to take a little longer because of that fact, but his talent is pretty obvious. It was just going to take time and now more of that time has been taken away. Genuinely hate to see it. He will have a medical redshirt, but hopefully he doesn't need it because he gets his career on track and feels like he can leave school on time. 

In an attempt at a spin...maybe this is okay for the program at large. There was a weight of expectations and when you start 0-2 with a loss to Marshall the negativity on the program comes like a tsunami from all corners of the internet and the world. Now, maybe, everyone can take a deep breath and measure success in a different way than just chasing a championship because clearly that is out the window now. 

Freeman can himself, his role, and his voice as a first time head coach. Something that isn't easy. Something Kelly and every new coach has to figure out on their own at Notre Dame. 

Rees can find ways to get the most out of an offense that is lacking at certain positions like WR. 

Notre Dame has always been a development program. They've had to be because they historically haven't quite been able to recruit at the same level as Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, etc. For the last decade we've seen Notre Dame get better throughout the years and turn 3 and 4 star recruits into NFL draft picks. That shouldn't change now and maybe with the pressure of this season officially off they can focus on what has become the DNA of the program. Hiestand is back to make Alt and Fisher into all-american tackles. Rees and new WR coach Chansi Stuckey can get more out of a young receiving corps with first time starters Styles, Thomas, and Colzie.

Everyone take a deep breath. Say a prayer. Have faith that things will get better because they almost always do. 

PS:

I think a fair criticism of Notre Dame this past offseason is not being a player in the transfer portal. It's a delicate thing because maybe if they bring in a WR or a QB they lose Buchner or one of their in-house starters. I am sure they probably wish they had another veteran QB and some help on the outside though.