This Guy Plays Notre Dame Football: #12 Tyler Buchner, Quarterback

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a roster full of players, and we want to talk about them all. One Foot Down’s player profile series will, once again, take a look at every single one of them, and hopefully we all learn a little bit more about these guys, and Notre Dame’s chances for the upcoming 2021 season.

#12 Tyler Buchner, QB

Tyler Buchner committed to the Irish on March 8^th, 2019 as a member of the 2021 recruiting class. Buchner chose the Irish over offers from Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, and USC, among others. At the time of his commitment, Buchner held the coveted 5-star rating.

However, Buchner suffered a substantial drop in his recruiting rankings after a subpar showing at the Elite 11 Camp in the summer of 2020. Most concerning during the performance was his erratic accuracy, leading many to question his throwing mechanics. Following the performance, Buchner fell to a 4-star rating on the 247Sports Composite Ranking. Buchner’s high school career was full of twists and turns, which complicated recruiting analysts’ ability to properly evaluate him. Buchner’s sophomore season ended after four plays due to a torn ACL in his left knee. After a magical junior season that saw him record 81 total touchdowns, 6,084 total yards of offense, and averaged 468 passing yards per game, Buchner transferred from The Bishop’s School to Helix Charter High School in search of tougher competition. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the fall football season was cancelled in California, and Buchner never took a snap at his new school.

Notre Dame Athletics

Buchner finished as the 70^th ranked recruit nationally, 3^rd ranked dual-threat quarterback nationally, and the 5^th ranked player in the state of California per 247Sports Composite rankings. Buchner currently stands 6’2’’ and weighs 205 lbs. His hometown is La Jolla, California.

The Restaurant That Fits

Culver’s

Jason Truitt/Palladium-Item, Richmond Palladium-Item via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Ask any Midwesterner about one of their favorite fast food chains, and inevitably people will say Culver’s. Is it a bit overhyped…potentially. However, the fact remains their butterburgers, cheese curds, and custard are some of the best in the country.

Similarly, Buchner possesses undeniable talent. However, it is way too early to make any sort of judgment on Buchner and what he will achieve while at Notre Dame.

2021 Outlook

If this was up to the fan base, Buchner would already be named the starter for the 2021 season. Alas, the far more likely scenario is that Jack Coan or Drew Pyne grabs the starting position. While Buchner’s talent is undeniable, we all must keep in mind that Buchner hasn’t played in an actual game in over a full year. Depending on how the season progresses and the performance of the veterans, there is still an outside shot Buchner could ascend to the top of the depth chart at some point during the season.