Notre Dame Football: 3 bold predictions for 2021 season

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May 1, 2021; Notre Dame, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Tyler Buchner (12) throws in the third quarter of the Blue-Gold Game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Tyler Buchner supplants Jack Coan as QB1

Notre Dame fans might have difficulty getting excited for Jack Coan starting as quarterback for the Fighting Irish this fall. That lack of excitement is completely understandable when Coan lost his job at Wisconsin.

However, Coan is a solid, veteran quarterback who can run what Brian Kelly and Tommy Rees want to be run. Coan likely reminds Kelly of Tony Pike, who quarterbacked Cincinnati when he had his run of success with the Bearcats.

Coan’s greatest value to the Irish is stabilizing the position as Tyler Buchner goes to quarterback school; Buchner has not played a lot of football. The California high school standout has just one full season of high school football, losing one season to injury and another to the pandemic.

As Buchner gets reps, he’ll get better. Coan is a viable option to start while Buchner learns the offense and how to play quarterback. The offensive staff has been impressed that Buchner’s learning curve is not as sharp as initially anticipated.

Unless Coan plays like a darkhorse Heisman candidate to start the season, expect Buchner to supplant the Wisconsin transfer by the fourth or fifth game of the season.

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