Chris Tyree on Notre Dame quarterback Drew Pyne: ‘He brings that energy’
What you see is what you get.
The emulation of the "Billionaire Strut" introduced by Vince McMahon in the WWE's heyday and popularized by UFC champion Conor McGregor in recent years wasn't an anomalistic occurrence for Notre Dame quarterback Drew Pyne.
It was right up his alley.
Pyne tilted his torso back, swung his arms front to back and stepped with swagger while staring at the Notre Dame sideline at Soldier Field after tossing the first touchdown pass of his career against Wisconsin on Sept. 25.
Pyne hadn't been able to display his exuberant nature in an in-game situation before then. As a true freshman he attempted just three passes while backing up Ian Book. But Pyne's teammates have seen his buoyancy every day since he stepped on campus last year.
The Soldier Field showboating was just the beginning of Pyne's coming out party.
"He brings that energy, that positivity to the offense," sophomore running back Chris Tyree said. "I would say his personality off the field carries onto the field also."
Clearly. Tyree said Pyne has firmly staked his claim as one of the "top-three loudest people on the field" during any given Notre Dame practice. That's quite a contrast from calm, cool, collected graduate senior Jack Coan.
Pyne replaced Coan in the second half of last week's loss to Cincinnati. The Irish offense scored zero points with Coan at the helm in the first half. Pyne led two touchdown drives in the second, including one that was capped with a 32-yard touchdown on a go route to senior wide receiver Braden Lenzy.
It didn't take Pyne long to meet Lenzy in the south end zone of Notre Dame Stadium, raising his arms in the air, pumping his fists and screaming in jubilation along the way. He wasn't going to get back on the sideline without giving Lenzy his due for the adjustment and play he made on a slightly under-thrown ball.
"It was really awesome to finally see him come down with one," Pyne said. "I'm really happy for him."
Making sure to congratulate Lenzy, who Pyne said has worked as hard as anyone in practice over the last two seasons but only has two receiving touchdowns to show for it, said everything about Pyne.
"He's selfless," Tyree said.
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly wouldn't reveal who is starting behind center for the No. 14 Irish (4-1) at Virginia Tech (3-1) this weekend. It could be Coan, it could be Pyne. Coan has started every game to this point, but Pyne has made his case in the second halves of the last two to earn the first start of his career.
If he gets the nod, a primetime matchup in one of college football's most lauded atmospheres is sure to provide plenty of Pyne theatrics. He's more than just a dog and pony show, though. His escapability and propensity to improvise might make him Notre Dame's best option at the position given the team's struggles along the offensive line.
Whether he starts or not, Pyne is bound to impact the game in some way. He's a voice on the sidelines and someone teammates look up to when he's commanding the huddle.
"Drew is a guy you really just attract to because of his personality," Tyree said. "His energy is friendly, it's supportive. Even off the field, he's a really good friend. I would say that's why he's so popular in the locker room."
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