COAN GETS THE START AND IRISH DEBUT NEW FACES

Chris Dailey

Founder, The Sports Court

Jack Coan has been announced by Brian Kelly as the starting QB for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in their week 1 game against Florida State on September 5th.

Coan - who is a graduate transfer from Wisconsin, started 14 games and threw for 2,727 yards with a 69.6 completion percentage as a junior in 2019. 

The Sayville, New York native ranked #1 in Pass Completion Percentage, third in passing efficiency rating, and fourth in pass competitions in his junior year at Wisconsin before falling to Justin Herbert and the Oregon Ducks in a heartbreaking 28-27 loss in the 2020 Rose Bowl. 

Coming into the 2020 season, Coan was labeled as one of the best returning QB’s in the nation and was put on the Manning Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Maxwell Award, and Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list. 

Unfortunately, Coan suffered a right foot injury in preseason practice and had to undergo surgery. 

Coan was out for the majority of the season but was able to make the roster for the final three games. However, he didn’t see the field.

Following this, Coan entered the transfer portal and was snatched up by Brian Kelly and Notre Dame. 

This came with uncertainty whether Coan would start at Notre Dame. 5-star freshman Tyler Buchner, just joined the program and sophomore Drew Pyne was waiting patiently for his chance under Ian Book.

The experienced Jack Coan managed to climb his way to the top of the depth chart and prevail. The pocket passing, pro-style QB will be the face of a new-look Irish team who were hit hard this off-season with lots of seniors leaving for the NFL.

From ND’s all-time winningest QB, Ian Book, to the Dick Butkus Award winner, Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah, Notre Dame will have a lot of new faces seeing game time this season.

Even defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman, who was formerly at the University of Cincinnati, where he led them to a top 10 ranking, is a new face to the Notre Dame program.

Jack Coan will have big shoes to fill and with a tough schedule, it’s not an easy task. However, Coan doesn’t seem fazed by the pressure that comes with being the Notre Dame quarterback. If he can keep on learning the program and developing a connection with his receivers, anything is possible.

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