One of the more interesting stories in college football over the last two seasons took another turn on Friday.
Former Notre Dame and Alabama quarterback Tyler Buchner is rejoining the Fighting Irish for the 2024 season, but this time, it won’t be as a signal-caller. According to Blue and Gold’s Tyler Horka, Buchner is walking onto the football team as a wide receiver.
A native of Evanston, Illinois, Buchner started three games at Notre Dame in 2022 before entering the transfer portal, ultimately landing at Alabama. He struggled with the Tide last fall, appearing in just two games with one start while attempting only 19 passes.
Buchner re-entered the portal for a second time in December, but this time, he did so as a lacrosse player. He ultimately returned to South Bend, helping lead the Irish to a second consecutive national championship as a midfielder.
Tyler Buchner is re-joining the Notre Dame football team as a walk-on wide receiver.
Once Irish, always Irish. pic.twitter.com/dddSoFPQfC
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) May 31, 2024
Following the announcement of his decision to rejoin the football team, Buchner penned a letter to the Notre Dame fanbase.
Notre Dame has always been a place of faith and redemption, but I never imagined the extent of its generosity until the day Coach Freeman allowed me to rejoin the football team as a walk-on. Being able to play the game I have loved since I can remember and playing for Notre Dame had been my dream. I risked it all and believed I had lost it all, as I did not think even returning to football at Notre Dame would be in the cards. As I was leaving Alabama, I had scholarship opportunities to play quarterback elsewhere. Even though I knew I was potentially giving up on my football dreams, I turned them down and told my parents that I would pay my way through school because I only wanted to be at Notre Dame. It would have been easy for the football coaching staff to see me just as a player who had left, but instead, I am grateful they were able to see me as a young man eager to return and contribute in any way I could for the greater good of the team.
We’ll have to wait to see if Buchner is able to contribute this fall in his new role, but after a year away, he’ll be back in a Fighting Irish uniform.
