"
Originally from Fairhope, Alabama, Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard carried the memories and hopes of his hometown as he led the Irish to the National Championship. But he refused to go without a home or community at Notre Dame — instead, he worked to cultivate that same sense of home and family with his team.
During the third annual Golic SubPar Celebrity Golf Classic in June, Leonard said that the integration of faith in the classroom and on the football field helped him feel at home at Notre Dame. Walking around the St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s lakes reminded him of his favorite fishing spots in Fairhope, while his discussions with coaches, faculty and students felt reminiscent of the kind and friendly interactions with neighbors back home. The only differences lay in the lakes freezing over during the frigid winters and conversations with nasal Midwestern accents rather than those with a Southern twang.
Leonard sought to make up for lost time with his teammates and quickly develop strong chemistry with his receivers before the season began. Pete Sampson, in a story for “The Athletic,” described how Leonard invited six of his teammates — graduate students Beaux Collins, Jayden Harrison and Kris Mitchell, seniors Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie and sophomore Jaden Greathouse — along with freshman QB CJ Carr, to train in Fairhope during the summer. The teammates lived together at legendary NFL QB and fellow Fairhope resident Philip Rivers’ house on the south side of town. They practiced on the 60-yard football field in Rivers’ backyard and bonded in his basement, decorated wall-to-wall with memorabilia from his illustrious 17-year career.
When the rest of the team returned to South Bend for summer workouts in July, they learned about Leonard what Carr and the receivers already knew from their time in Fairhope. On the “College GameDay Podcast,” Pete Thamel shared that Leonard studied Quizlet flashcards to learn his new teammates’ faces and names.
Through his effort during every snap at every practice, he gained the respect and trust of his teammates and coaching staff. These intangibles carried the Irish to a gutsy win in a rock fight against Texas A&M. Amidst early-season struggles and calls for a change atquarterback after losing to Northern Illinois, Freeman and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock remained confident that Leonard gives the Irish the best chance to win and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. The dual-threat signal caller rewarded his coaches’ confidence with stellar performances during the second half against Miami (Ohio) and in the first half against Louisville. Denbrock adjusted his play calling to maximize Leonard’s strengths, scheming receivers open for long touchdowns reminiscent of those during the summer practices in Fairhope. It took longer than any fan wanted or Notre Dame needed, but a potent offense finally arrived.
Through the last seven games of the season, Leonard aggressively attacked every aspect of the opposing defense, throwing on the run, keeping his eyes downfield for deep shots and scrambling for massive gains. During this period, the undefeated Irish averaged over 45 points per game and closed out the season with a convincing 49-35 victory over rival University of Southern California in the series’ highest scoring game. Previously ranked 129 out of 133 FBS teams in pass efficiency, Leonard and the Irish finished the year 39th. Though Leonard has given extensive credit to the coaching staff for his quick development, he believes the main reason lies beyond Xs and Os.
“Notre Dame is a very spiritual place, and I think allowing Jesus to come into my life and change the way I walk into a football game has really helped me out a lot,” Leonard said after defeating Navy. “I think I was hesitant and put a lot of pressure on myself, but me and coach Freeman were talking about it one time. Everybody goes into games, and I certainly did the first few weeks, thinking ‘What if? What if I mess up? What if this happens?’”
“At the end of the day, if I go into the game thinking ‘Even if everything falls down and we hit rock bottom, my Lord and Savior is going to be there for me.’ Nothing is going to change with that. That has been the biggest thing.”
A trip to the College Football Playoff and the chance to win Notre Dame’s first championship since 1988? That was just a bonus, but Leonard rose to the occasion and delivered in style. Though Leonard’s progress may have come as a shock to skeptical Irish fans, the folks in Fairhope saw it coming all along. His chapter at Notre Dame followed the same progression as the ones he authored in his hometown and later at Duke. The Book of Leonard tells the story of perseverance to overcome initial struggle. Every Saturday, when Leonard laced up for the Irish, Fairhope was watching, their pride resonating all the way to South Bend. So when Leonard led Notre Dame to the National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, they weren’t content to cheer from a distance. Cars packed and ready, Fairhope’s die-hard supporters hit the road for the five-hour journey to Atlanta, trading their Pirate yellow for Irish gold and rallying behind their hometown hero under the brightest lights in college football.