Published Nov 30, 2024
Game Balls: Watts flashes All-America form, Leonard evolves for Notre Dame
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Eric Hansen  •  InsideNDSports
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The last time before Saturday that Notre Dame walk-on wide receiver/scout-team QB Tyler Buchner threw a pass in a Notre Dame uniform, it was a 16-yard TD to tight end Mitchell Evans that gave the Irish the lead late and for good in a 45-38 Gator Bowl win over South Carolina to end the 2022 season.

He was the starting QB that day and soon to be a transfer to Alabama only to transfer back to ND this past January.

And in No. 5 ND’s 2024 regular-season finale at USC on Saturday, he finally got to throw a pass in a game. As muscle memory would have it, it went to Evans. For 28 yards.

Because that play, which came on a successful/non-penalty-drawing fake punt in Irish territory that didn’t lead to an eventual score in a 49-35 score-fest won by the College Football Playoff-bound Irish, it’s probably a play that won’t find its way into Notre Dame football lore.

Or maybe not into many actual game stories or columns about the highest-scoring game in the 95-game history over the series between cross-country rivals.

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But it’s something and SOMEONE playoff opponents are going to have to be on the watch for, given Buchner has a converted fake field goal run to his credit this season as well.

As for actual game balls, there were plenty of worthy candidates as the Irish put an exclamation point on an 11-1 regular season and a 10-game winning streak. It’s our practice at Inside ND Sports to select two. Here they are:

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DEFENSE: Xavier Watts, safety

It’s hard to fathom how the reigning Bronko Nagurski Award winner not only wasn’t named a finalist again for that award but for any of the national individual awards.

But grad senior safety Xavier Watts again proved his All-America pedigree, Saturday against the Trojans.

Watts recorded a team-high nine tackles, broke up a pass that foiled a key fourth-down conversion attempt, and had a 100-yard pick-6 late in the fourth quarter to seal the Irish win.

OFFENSE: Riley Leonard, quarterback

Had sophomore running back/hurdler Jeremiyah Love not left the game with a leg injury midway through the third quarter, he was on track to grab the honor here. And tag-teammate Jadarian Price made a strong case too. But this one goes to quarterback Riley Leonard in part because of his continues evolution as a passer and still proving to be an elite runner.

The Duke transfer ran for 50 yards and his school-record tying 14th rushing TD this season. He also threw for two TDs and completed 17 of 22 pass attempts for 155 yards with an interception.

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