Leonard, who opened Saturday's game with three straight TD drives, was the QB the Irish envisioned when he arrived via the transfer portal.

A glimpse around Fairhope High School indicates the legacy Leonard left behind in the community. When students walk inside the school counselor’s office, their eyes widen and mouths gape in awe at the sight of a helmet and football card signed by the former Fairhope quarterback.

When Riley Leonard transferred from Duke to Notre Dame, things did not go as planned. In a bit of ultimate Notre Dame irony, Leonard ended up missing almost all of Spring ball due to medical work being done to care for an injury the Irish created in 2023.