New Canaan (Conn.) High quarterback Drew Pyne has been committed to Notre Dame for 611 days, but now his pledge to the Irish is official.
The decorated, highly productive gunslinger has signed his National Letter of Intent with Notre Dame and will enroll in January.
RANKINGS
Rivals: No. 1 player in Connecticut, and No. 7 pro-style quarterback and No. 118 overall recruit nationally
ESPN: No. 2 prospect in Connecticut, and No. 9 pro-style quarterback and No. 166 overall player in the country
STATS
2019 Stats: 161-of-252 passing for 2,107 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions ... 57 carries for 259 yards and eight scores.
Career Stats: 701-of-1111 passing for 9,411 yards with 105 touchdowns and 35 interceptions ... 292 rushes for 1,182 yards and 20 scores
NOTABLE
• 2020 Under Armour All-American
• Played in 49 games during his high school career
• Holds the New Canaan career record for passing yards and passing touchdowns
• State champion as a freshman in 2016
• Earned offers from Alabama, Florida State and Penn State while he was in eighth grade
• His father, George Pyne IV, held the position of chief operating officer at NASCAR and was an All-Ivy League football performer in college
• His grandfather, George Pyne III, played for the Boston Patriots in the AFL
RECRUITMENT
Offer Sheet: Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, Baylor, Boston College, Florida State, LSU, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech
There are not many high school players in the past few years who have seen more attention at a young age than Pyne.
As just an eight grader, Nick Saban’s Alabama program was one of a few Power Five schools to offer him a scholarship. As a freshman, Pyne led New Canaan to a state title and continued to blow up on the recruiting front.
He earned an offer from Notre Dame in the summer before his sophomore season, and it was clear that the Irish held a special place in his heart.
“I grew up watching ’Rudy’ and I watched it every single day as a little kid,” Pyne previously told BGI. “As long as I can remember, I watched that movie.
“Also, everywhere I went I wanted to be Brady Quinn. He was my idol growing up and made me passionate about being a quarterback. … He was the Notre Dame quarterback and I saw him every week. My dad pointed him out to me. He was a big role model for me. That’s why I wear No. 10 now. I really liked him growing up.
“He and that movie really made me love Notre Dame. I went there one time when I was little and made me love it even more. … It’s pretty awesome. … Now, I’m going to Notre Dame. It’s been a cool experience.”
Pyne committed to Notre Dame in April 2018 and has really helped the Irish on the recruiting trail. He might not be as vocal publicly about his recruiting efforts as much as others, such as Notre Dame offensive line commit Blake Fisher in the 2021 class, but he has been consistently in other recruits’ ears over the past couple of years.
Pyne’s commitment to Notre Dame is now official. He will enroll at the university in January.
QUOTABLE
“Coach [Brian] Kelly brought it up, and he didn’t want to beat around the bush. He told me that Coach Long wasn’t going to be with Notre Dame anymore. I always will be very thankful for Coach Long, believing in me and giving me a scholarship. I’m going to Notre Dame for Notre Dame and for Coach Kelly and Coach [Tom] Rees as well. Whatever decision Coach Kelly makes down the road for OC, the whole team will respect and I'll be excited for it.” — Pyne on sticking with Notre Dame despite with Chip Long news
ANALYST TAKE
“He doesn’t show any overwhelming physical abilities; he is just good at everything. I was impressed with his ability to thread the needles. He has a good enough arm to throw the deep out with authority, and one thing that really caught my eye was his playmaking ability. He uses his scrambling instinct to improvise when the pocket breaks down. He always seems to find the open receiver and when he doesn’t, he’ll run it himself for plus yardage. He’s just a natural with All-American written all over him. Mentally, he processes things quickly and he stays composed. He’s still working on his weight and strength, but believe me, this young man can play the game.” — Tom Lemming of Prep Football Report and CBS Sports Network
LINKS
QB Drew Pyne Shares Thoughts On Visit With Brian Kelly; Chip Long News
Pod Like A Champion: Breaking Down Notre Dame QB Commit Drew Pyne
Notre Dame QB Commit Drew Pyne Talks Official Visit
Five-Star Challenge Analysis: Drew Pyne
Q&A With Notre Dame QB Commit Drew Pyne
QB Drew Pyne Goes Into Recruiting Mode During Latest Notre Dame Visit
Notre Dame lands 2020 4-star QB Drew Pyne: It really just felt like home
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