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Notre Dame has seen some excellent quarterback play over the years. Some have been more impactful than others. Other quarterbacks were the lone bright spots of a bad team and had to carry the weight of the program on their shoulders. Some led the Irish to College Football Playoff bids and appearance in national title games while others made the best of their situations. 

I had previously ranked the Top 5 Non-QB single seasons from a Notre Dame offensive player. Now it's time to look at the top five quarterbacks that have come through South Bend since 2000. I evaluated stats, postseason accolades, individual accomplishments like I did with the non-QB players, but I also factored in the team's success with this ranking. 

1. Brady Quinn – 2005

Stats: 292-450, 64.9%, 3,919 yards, 8.7 YPA, 32 TD, 7 INT, 158.4 Rating 
Postseason Accolades: finished 4th in Heisman voting, 2005 Sammy Baugh Award winner, AP 3rd-Team All-American, finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, Manning Award 

Quinn's record for Notre Dame's all-time single season leader in passing yards, completions and touchdowns still stands. Although he would end up breaking his own record the following season in 2006 when he threw for 37 touchdowns. The Ohio native led the resurgence of Fighting Irish football, and even though he was the starting quarterback in 2004, his breakout year in 2005 dawned a new era of football in South Bend. He was clutch in big moments; the three games they lost in 2005 (MSU, USC, OSU) were not due to Quinn's performance. He set the gold standard for quarterback play in a single season. 

2. Jimmy Clausen – 2009

Stats: 289-425, 68.0%, 3,722 yards, 8.8 YPA, 28 TD, 4 INT, 161.4 Rating
Postseason Accolades: 3rd-team All-American (Sporting News), finalist for the Manning Award, semi-finalist for the Maxwell Award and Davey O'Brien Award 

Unfortunately, Clausen's reputation will always be tied to the 3-9, 7-6, and 6-6 seasons the Irish endured from 2007 to 2009, but I can say with quite a bit of confidence that the reason Notre Dame went 6-6 in 2009 was not because of Clausen. The California native set the school record in 2009 for passer rating which would eventually be shattered by current starter CJ Carr. Clausen also set the single-season record for the most 300-yard games in a season with seven. In their six losses, Clausen threw for a combined 2,000 yards, 15 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions. He was one of the few bright spots on the 2009 squad. 

3. Riley Leonard – 2024

Stats: 269-403, 66.7%, 2,861 yards, 7.1 YPA, 21 TD, 8 INT, 139.6 Rating; 184 att., 906 yards, 4.9 YPC, 17 TD
Postseason Accolades: Semi-finalist for Comeback Player of the Year Award

Leonard has quite the debate to be higher on this list, and I wouldn't pound my fist on the table and disagree with anyone willing to make that argument. He was a one-year player for the Irish, but in that one season led them to a 14-2 record, ended a 30-year major bowl win drought and an appearance in the national title game. Along the way, Leonard was named a semi-finalist for the Comeback Player of the Year award and rushed for a record-setting 17 touchdowns for a Fighting Irish quarterback. Leonard was a natural born winner, and the only player on this list who could have gotten the job done for the 2024 team. 

4. Ian Book – 2018

Stats: 214-314, 68.2%, 2,628 yards, 8.4 YPA, 19 TD, 7 INT, 154.0 Rating; 95 att., 280 yards, 2.9 YPC, 4 TD

Statistically, Book had better seasons than 2018, but he was at his best in his first year as the predominant starter. His efficiency numbers peaked in 2018 completing 68.2% of his passes, averaging 8.4 yards per attempt and ending the season with a passer efficiency rating of 154.0, all three are career highs. He threw for 2,628 yards despite not entering the starting lineup until the fourth game of the regular season against Wake Forest on the road. He helped engineer Notre Dame's second undefeated season under Brian Kelly and was the starter on their first team to earn a bid to the four-team College Football Playoffs. Book picked up some signature wins along the way including a home win over a ranked Stanford team, a road win over a ranked Virginia Tech team, a neutral site win over Syracuse and a road victory over USC to cap off the regular season. 

5. Jack Coan – 2021

Stats: 253-385, 65.7%, 3,150 yards, 8.2 YPA, 25 TD, 7 INT, 152.2 Rating

There's a lot of debate to be had around the No. 5 spot on this ranking. I went with 2021 starter, Coan, who led the Irish to an 11-2 record and an appearance in a NY6 bowl against Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl. The former Wisconsin Badger was Notre Dame's last 3,000 yard passer. He also holds the school record for most passing yards in a season opener (366) against Florida State. He's also tied for the most passing touchdowns in a season opener with four. Coan was Notre Dame's first portal quarterback in the modern era, and his success helped pave the way for players like Leonard and former Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman to come to South Bend.  

HONORABLE MENTION

Everett Golson – 2012: 187-318, 58.8%, 2,405 yards, 12 TD, 6 INT, 131.0 Rating; 94 att., 298 yards, 3.2 YPC, 6 TD
Tommy Rees – 2013: 224-414, 54.1%, 3,257 yards, 7.9 YPA, 27 TD, 13 INT, 135.4 Rating
Deshone Kizer – 2015: 211-335, 63.0%, 2,884 yards, 8.6 YPA, 21 TD, 10 INT, 150.0 Rating; 

134 att., 520 yards, 3.9 YPC, 10 TD

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