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SOUTH BEND — For the second straight season, Notre Dame football has included a transfer quarterback among its five team captains.
Duke senior transfer Riley Leonard was never formally named the starter, but Sunday afternoon’s announcement of his captaincy came as no surprise. This is Leonard’s second turn in the role after being voted a Blue Devils captain his junior year.
Former Irish quarterback Sam Hartman proceeded straight to the captain’s role in 2023 after his grad transfer from Wake Forest.
“As a person, (Leonard) is who I want my son to be one day,” wide receiver Jayden Thomas said. “As a quarterback, you love someone like that who can walk through the building with a smile on his face no matter what happens. You’ll never know if he had a good day, great day, or a terrible day. … We love that from our leader.”
The seventh-ranked Irish open the regular season on Aug. 31 at No. 20 Texas A&M.
Also named Sunday were linebacker Jack Kiser, defensive tackle Rylie Mills, cornerback Benjamin Morrison and All-America safety Xavier Watts. All four are first-time captains, and all four represent the highly ranked Irish defense.
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Kiser, IndyStar Mr. Football in 2018 out of Pioneer High School in Royal Center, follows two-time selection JD Bertrand in the captain’s role. Bertrand now plays linebacker for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
“It’s funny,” Kiser said during training camp. “The young guys will see some pictures on the walls in the Gug, and they’re like, ‘Kise, were you here for that game?’ ‘No, that was 2012.’ ”
Morrison, a junior projected as a first-round NFL draft pick after this season, spoke recently about his approach to leadership.
“I think my play speaks for itself, but…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/captains-choice-did-notre-dame-203015645.html
Author : South Bend Tribune
Publish date : 2024-08-18 20:30:15
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