Notre Dame QB Tyler Buchner embracing leadership role as QB competition heats up

Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner is beginning to take on a bigger leadership role as he fights for the starting quarterback role.

He told reporters on Sunday that finding his voice as a leader has been his “biggest development” this offseason.

“I think my biggest development is probably the leadership aspect,” Buchner told reporters on Sunday

. “Really owning the role of the quarterback and fully taking that on.”

Buchner is the favorite to win the job, but he’s still competing alongside redshirt sophomore Drew Pyne. Buchner is a redshirt freshman, but showed big flashes of potential at times last season.

He completed 21 of 35 passes (60%) for 298 yards, 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions during limited playing time. He also rushed for 336 yards and 3 scores on 46 carries. It was a strong debut for a quarterback who was still new to college football.

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uchner also identified his experience as an area of growth. He said he’s a lot more “comfortable” going into fall camp this season.

“I’d say I went from starting camp last year and just being nervous about camp,” Buchner added. “And then once I got through that, then you’re nervous about a game and then you get through that … You start getting used to it and more comfortable in all these situations. I think I’m definitely a lot more comfortable going into my second camp than the first one.”

Notre Dame opens the year with Ohio State on Sept. 3.