Recounting every Notre Dame QB's starting debut dating back to 1975
Since eventual Heisman Trophy winner Paul Horning made his first start at QB for Notre Dame against SMU in 1955, Irish QBs are 42-16 in the starting debuts. Dating back to Dayne Crist in 2010, Irish QBs have won eight straight games in their initial starts.
Sophomore Tyler Buchner tries to make it nine straight Saturday night, when the fifth-ranked Irish open the season at No. 2 Ohio State.
Here's how Notre Dame's quarterbacks since 1975 have fared in their first collegiate starts (pass-efficiency rating in parentheses):
• Jack Coan, grad senior: Sept. 5, 2021
The Bottom Line: No. 9 Notre Dame 41, Florida State 38 (OT)
Stats: 26-35-1, 366 yards, 4 TDs (194.1); Minus-3 yards on 14 carres
• Ian Book, sophomore: Oct. 7, 2017
The Bottom Line: No. 21 Notre Dame 33, North Carolina 10
Stats: 17-31-2, 146 yards, 1 TD (92.14); 45 yards on 12 carries
• Brandon Wimbush, junior: Sept. 2, 2017
The Bottom Line: No. 24 Notre Dame 49, Temple 16
Stats: 17-30-1, 184 yards, 2 TDs (123.52); 106 yards on 12 carries, 1 TD
• DeShone Kizer, sophomore: Sept. 19, 2015
The Bottom Line: No. 8 Notre Dame 30, No. 14 Georgia Tech 22
Stats: 21-30-1, 242 yards, 1 TD (141.81); 6 yards on 5 carries
• Malik Zaire, sophomore; Dec. 30, 2014
The Bottom Line: Notre Dame 31, No. 22 LSU 28
Stats: 12-15-0, 96 yards, 1 TD (155.76); 96 yards on 22 carries, 1 TD
• Everett Golson, sophomore; Sept. 1, 2012
The Bottom Line: Notre Dame 50, Navy 10
Stats: 12-18-1, 144 yards, 1 TD (141.09); Minus-8 yards on 1 carry
• Tommy Rees, freshman; Nov. 13, 2010
The Bottom Line: Notre Dame 28, No. 15 Utah 3
Stats: 13-20-0, 129 yards, 3 TDs (168.68); Minus-7 yards on 2 carries
• Dayne Crist, junior; Sept. 4, 2010
The Bottom Line: Notre Dame 23, Purdue 12
Stats: 19-26-0, 205 yards (152.00), 1 TD; 6 yards on 9 carries
• Evan Sharpley, junior; Oct. 20, 2007
The Bottom Line: No. 13 USC 38, Notre Dame 0
Stats: 17-33-1, 117 yards, 0 TDs (75.24); Minus-31 yards on 8 carries
• Jimmy Clausen, freshman; Sept. 8, 2007
The Bottom Line: No. 14 Penn State 31, Notre Dame 10
Stats: 17-32-1, 144 yards, 0 TDs (84.68); Minus-25 yards on 10 carries
* Demetrius Jones, sophomore; Sept. 1, 2007
The Bottom Line: Georgia Tech 33, Notre Dame 3
Stats: 1-3-0, 4 yards, 0 TDs (44.53); 29 yards on 12 carries
Note: This ended up being Jones' only playing time at ND *
*Brady Quinn, freshman; Sept. 27, 2003
The Bottom Line: No. 22 Purdue 23, Notre Dame 10
Stats: 29-59-4, 297 yards, 1 TD (83.49); 25 yards on 8 carries
* Pat Dillingham, sophomore; Oct. 5, 2002
The Bottom Line: No. 9 Notre Dame 31, Stanford 7
Stats: 14-27-1, 129 yards, 0 TDs (84.58); Minus-20 yards on 2 carries
* Carlyle Holiday, sophomore; Sept. 29, 2001
The Bottom Line: Texas A&M 24, Notre Dame 3
Stats: 6-13-2, 73 yards, 0 TDs (62.55); 23 yards on 12 carries
* Matt LoVecchio, freshman; Oct. 7, 2000
The Bottom Line: No. 25 Notre Dame 20, Stanford 14
Stats: 10-18-0, 100 yards, 2 TDs (138.89); 36 yards on 13 carries
* Gary Godsey, junior; Sept. 16, 2000
The Bottom Line: No. 21 Notre Dame 23, No. 13 Purdue 21
Stats: 14-25-1, 154 yards, 0 TDs (99.74); 3 yards on 7 carries, 1 TD
* Arnaz Battle, junior; Sept. 2, 2000
The Bottom Line: Notre Dame 24, No. 23 Texas A&M 10
Stats: 10-16-0, 133 yards, 2 TDs (173.57); 50 yards on 12 carries
* Eric Chappell, senior; Nov. 28, 1998
The Bottom Line: USC 10, No. 9 Notre Dame 0
Stats: 0-3-2, 0 yards, 0 TDs (minus-133.33); 33 yards on 7 carries
* Jarious Jackson, senior; Sept. 5, 1998
The Bottom Line: No. 22 Notre Dame 36, No. 5 Michigan 20
Stats: 4-10-1, 96 yards, 2 TDs (166.64); 62 yards on 16 carries
* Tom Krug, junior; Nov. 18, 1995
The Bottom Line: No. 8 Notre Dame 44, Air Force 14
Stats: 8-13-1, 96 yards, 0 TDs (108.18); 13 yards on 3 carries
* Ron Powlus, sophomore; Sept. 3, 1994
The Bottom Line: No. 3 Notre Dame 42, Northwestern 15
Stats: 18-24-0, 291 yards, 4 TDs (231.55); 6 yards on 2 carries
* Kevin McDougal, senior; Sept. 4, 1993
The Bottom Line: No. 7 Notre Dame 27, Northwestern 12
Stats: 6-8-0, 135 yards, 0 TDs (216.75); minus-16 yards on 5 carries
* Paul Failla, freshman; Sept. 28, 1991
The Bottom Line: No. 8 Notre Dame 45, Purdue 20
Stats: 1-1-0, 10 yards (184.00); 11 yards on 2 carries.
Note: Rick Mirer replaced Failla beginning with the second series.
* Rick Mirer, sophomore; Sept. 15, 1990
The Bottom Line: No. 1 Notre Dame 28, No. 4 Michigan 24
Stats: 14-23-1, 165 yards, 1 TD (126.78); 12 yards on 10 carries, 1 TD
* Kent Graham, freshman; Nov. 7, 1987
The Bottom Line: No. 9 Notre Dame 32, Boston College 25
Stats: 6-8-1, 111 yards, 0 TDs (166.55); 7 yards on 3 carries
* Tony Rice, sophomore; Oct. 17, 1987
The Bottom Line: No. 11 Notre Dame 35, Air Force 14
Stats: 1-5-1, 10 yards, 0 TDs (minus-3.20); 70 yards on 9 carries, 2 TDs
* Terry Andrysiak, sophomore; Nov. 9, 1985
The Bottom Line: Notre Dame 37, Mississippi 14
Stats: 11-15-1, 137 yards, 1 TD (158.72); minus-7 yards on 2 carries
* Scott Grooms, senior; Oct. 13, 1984
The Bottom Line: Air Force 21, Notre Dame 7
Stats: 12-35-1, 117 yards, 1 TD (66.08); minus-9 yards on 12 carries
* Steve Beuerlein, freshman; Oct. 1, 1983
The Bottom Line: Notre Dame 27, Colorado 3
Stats: 8-12-0, 133 yards, 0 TDs (159.77); no rushing attempts
* Jim O'Hara, senior; Nov. 20, 1982
The Bottom Line: Air Force 30, No. 18 Notre Dame 17
Stats: 14-23-0, 216 yards, 2 TDs (168.45); minus-21 yards on 3 carries
* Blair Kiel, freshman; Oct. 11, 1980
The Bottom Line: No. 7 Notre Dame 32, No. 13 Miami (Fla.) 14
Stats: 4-17-0, 35 yards, 0 TDs (40.82); 28 yards on 11 carries, 1 TD
* Mike Courey, senior; Sept. 6, 1980
The Bottom Line: No. 11 Notre Dame 31, No. 9 Purdue 10
Stats: 10-13-1, 151 yards, 1 TD; 59 yards on 9 carries, 1 TD
* Tim Koegel, sophomore; Sept. 22, 1979
The Bottom Line: No. 17 Purdue 28, No. 5 Notre Dame 22
Stats: 6-18-1, 81 yards, 1 TD (78.36); 0 yards on 4 carries
* Rusty Lisch, sophomore; Nov. 20, 1976
The Bottom Line: No. 3 Notre Dame 40, Miami (Fla.) 27
Stats: 5-11-0, 102 yards, 1 TD (153.35); 9 yards on 15 carries, 3 TDs
* Joe Montana, sophomore; Oct. 4, 1975
The Bottom Line: Michigan State 10, No. 8 Notre Dame 3
Stats: 2-5-1, 19 yards, 0 TDs (31.92); no rushing attempts
* Rick Slager, senior; Sept. 15, 1975
The Bottom Line: No. 9 Notre Dame 17, Boston College 3
Stats: 7-12-0, 72 yards, 0 TDs (108.73); no rushing attempts
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