Tyler Buchner suffered a serious injury in Notre Dame’s loss to Marshall on Saturday.

On Monday, it was announced that Buchner had suffered a level 5 shoulder sprain, requiring surgery. The recovery timeline for the injury is approximately 4 months. Buchner will likely be out the whole season, leaving the Irish in the hands of QB Drew Pyne, a redshirt sophomore.

Here are 3 things to know about Pyne as he takes over Notre Dame’s starting QB job:

Pyne has experience

As a junior, Pyne has never started, but has made significant contributions for the Irish in several games in his career.

Pyne was a 4-star, No. 7 pro-style ranked recruit in high school. He went 161-of-252 passing for 2,107 yards and 24 touchdowns with seven interceptions; 57 carries for 259 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games as a senior.

As a freshman for the Irish, Pyne played in four games and attempted three passes for the Irish, and in 2021, the QB helped Notre Dame beat Wisconsin in Chicago’s Shamrock Series game.

He has practiced like a starter

Despite never having started for Notre Dame, the QB has certainly practiced like one. Irish head coach Marcus Freeman says he’s seen for himself that Pyne has what it takes to be successful as a starter.

“It’s what I’ve seen from the minute I told him he wasn’t going to be QB1,” Freeman said at his press conference on Monday. “He’s always prepared as a starter, as a pro. That’s who Drew Pyne is. He’s a leader. He came out with great energy.”

Can the QB rally the Irish to overcome a disappointing 0-2 start on the season? We’ll find out as the Irish take on Cali next Saturday.

His focus is leading the Irish with no distractions

Irish fans will appreciate the junior QB’s dedication to the team. According to a Sports Illustrated story from August, the junior QB deleted all the unnecessary apps and social media from his phone in preparation for his battle with Buchner during fall camp.

“I’ve kind of told myself to just be all business. I can’t let anything effect me outside of football. I can’t let anything in school, I can’t let anything with my friends, I can’t let my girlfriend, video games….anything. I want to be all business. I don’t want to mess around with anything else.”

Notre Dame hosts Cal in Week 3.