List of Notre Dame Fighting Irish starting quarterbacks
The following individuals have started games at quarterback for the University of Notre Dame football team, updated through the 2024 season.
The year of induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, if applicable, is designated alongside the respective player's final season.
| Year | Name | Class | First career start | Number of starts |
Record as starter |
Awards/honors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Riley Leonard | Sr. | August 31 | 8 | 7–1 | |
| 2023 | Steve Angeli | So. | December 29 | 1 | 1–0 | |
| Sam Hartman | Sr. | August 26 | 12 | 9–3 | ||
| 2022 | Drew Pyne | Jr. | September 17 | 10 | 8–2 | |
| Tyler Buchner | So. | September 3 | 3 | 1–2 | ||
| 2021 | Jack Coan | Sr. | September 5 | 13 | 11–2 | |
| 2020 | Ian Book | Sr. | 12 | 10–2 | ||
| 2019 | Ian Book | Sr. | 13 | 11–2 | ||
| 2018 | Brandon Wimbush | Sr. | 4 | 4–0 | ||
| Ian Book | Jr. | 9 | 8–1 | |||
| 2017 | Brandon Wimbush | Jr. | September 2 | 12 | 9–3 | |
| Ian Book | So. | October 6 | 1 | 1–0 | ||
| 2016 | DeShone Kizer | So. | 12 | 4–8 | ||
| 2015 | DeShone Kizer | Fr. | September 19 | 11 | 8–3 | |
| Malik Zaire | Jr. | 2 | 2–0 | |||
| 2014 | Everett Golson | Sr. | 12 | 7–5 | ||
| Malik Zaire | So. | December 30 | 1 | 1–0 | ||
| 2013 | Tommy Rees | Sr. | 13 | 9–4 | ||
| 2012 | Tommy Rees | Jr. | 2 | 2–0 | ||
| Everett Golson | So. | September 1 | 11 | 10–1 | ||
| 2011 | Tommy Rees | So. | 12 | 8–4 | ||
| Dayne Crist | Sr. | 1 | 0–1 | |||
| 2010 | Tommy Rees | Fr. | November 13 | 4 | 4–0 | |
| Dayne Crist | Jr. | September 4 | 9 | 4–5 | ||
| 2009 | Jimmy Clausen | Jr. | 12 | 6–6 | AA | |
| 2008 | Jimmy Clausen | So. | 13 | 7–6 | ||
| 2007 | Evan Sharpley | Jr. | October 20 | 2 | 0–2 | |
| Jimmy Clausen | Fr. | September 8 | 9 | 3–6 | ||
| Demetrius Jones | So. | September 1 | 1 | 0–1 | ||
| 2006 | Brady Quinn | Sr. | 13 | 10–3 | AA, Unitas, Maxwell | |
| 2005 | Brady Quinn | Jr. | 12 | 9–3 | AA, Baugh | |
| 2004 | Brady Quinn | So. | 12 | 6–6 | ||
| 2003 | Brady Quinn | Fr. | September 27 | 9 | 4–5 | |
| Carlyle Holiday | Sr. | 3 | 1–2 | |||
| 2002 | Pat Dillingham | So. | October 5 | 1 | 1–0 | |
| Carlyle Holiday | Jr. | 12 | 9–3 | |||
| 2001 | Carlyle Holiday | So. | September 29 | 9 | 5–4 | |
| Matt LoVecchio | So. | 2 | 0–2 | |||
| 2000 | Matt LoVecchio | Fr. | October 7 | 8 | 7–1 | |
| Gary Godsey | So. | September 16 | 2 | 1–1 | ||
| Arnaz Battle | Jr. | September 2 | 2 | 1–1 | ||
| 1999 | Jarious Jackson | Sr. | 12 | 5–7 | ||
| 1998 | Eric Chappell | Jr. | November 28 | 1 | 0–1 | |
| Jarious Jackson | Jr. | September 5 | 11 | 9–2 | ||
| 1997 | Ron Powlus | Sr. | 13 | 7–6 | ||
| 1996 | Ron Powlus | Jr. | 11 | 8–3 | ||
| 1995 | Tom Krug | Jr. | November 18 | 2 | 1–1 | |
| Ron Powlus | So. | 10 | 8–2 | |||
| 1994 | Ron Powlus | Fr. | September 3 | 12 | 6–5–1 | |
| 1993 | Paul Failla | Jr. | 1 | 1–0 | ||
| Kevin McDougal | Sr. | September 4 | 11 | 10–1 | ||
| 1992 | Rick Mirer | Sr. | 12 | 10–1–1 | AA | |
| 1991 | Paul Failla | Fr. | September 28 | 1 | 1–0 | |
| Rick Mirer | Jr. | 12 | 9–3 | |||
| 1990 | Rick Mirer | So. | September 15 | 12 | 9–3 | |
| 1989 | Tony Rice | Sr. | 13 | 12–1 | AA, Unitas | |
| 1988 | Tony Rice | Jr. | 12 | 12–0 | ||
| 1987 | Kent Graham | Fr. | November 7 | 1 | 1–0 | |
| Tony Rice | So. | October 17 | 6 | 4–2 | ||
| Terry Andrysiak | Sr. | 5 | 3–2 | |||
| 1986 | Terry Andrysiak | Jr. | 1 | 0–1 | ||
| Steve Beuerlein | Sr. | 10 | 5–5 | |||
| 1985 | Terry Andrysiak | So. | November 9 | 1 | 1–0 | |
| Steve Beuerlein | Jr. | 10 | 4–6 | |||
| 1984 | Scott Grooms | Sr. | October 13 | 1 | 0–1 | |
| Steve Beuerlein | So. | 11 | 7–4 | |||
| 1983 | Steve Beuerlein | Fr. | October 1 | 8 | 5–3 | |
| Blair Kiel | Sr. | 4 | 2–2 | |||
| 1982 | Jim O'Hara | Sr. | November 20 | 1 | 0–1 | |
| Ken Karcher | So. | November 13 | 1 | 0–1 | ||
| Blair Kiel | Jr. | 9 | 6–2–1 | |||
| 1981 | Tim Koegel | Sr. | 4 | 1–3 | ||
| Blair Kiel | So. | 7 | 4–3 | |||
| 1980 | Blair Kiel | Fr. | October 11 | 9 | 6–2–1 | |
| Mike Courey | Sr. | 3 | 3–0 | |||
| 1979 | Mike Courey | Jr. | November 24 | 1 | 1–0 | |
| Tim Koegel | So. | September 22 | 1 | 0–1 | ||
| Rusty Lisch | Sr. | 9 | 6–3 | |||
| 1978 | Joe Montana | Sr. | 12 | 9–3 | ||
| 1977 | Joe Montana | Jr. | 10 | 10–0 | ||
| Rusty Lisch | Jr. | 2 | 1–1 | |||
| 1976 | Rusty Lisch | So. | November 20 | 2 | 1–1 | |
| Rick Slager | Sr. | 10 | 8–2 | |||
| 1975 | Joe Montana | So. | October 4 | 3 | 1–2 | |
| Rick Slager | Jr. | September 15 | 8 | 7–1 | ||
| 1974 | Tom Clements | Sr. | 12 | 10–2 | AA | |
| 1973 | Tom Clements | Jr. | 11 | 11–0 | ||
| 1972 | Tom Clements | So. | September 23 | 11 | 8–3 | |
| 1971 | Cliff Brown | So. | October 16 | 6 | 4–2 | |
| Bill Etter | Jr. | October 2 | 2 | 2–0 | ||
| Pat Steenberge | Sr. | September 18 | 2 | 2–0 | ||
| 1970 | Joe Theismann | Sr. | 11 | 10–1 | AA, CFHOF (2003) | |
| 1969 | Joe Theismann | Jr. | 11 | 8–2–1 | ||
| 1968 | Joe Theismann | So. | November 9 | 3 | 2–0–1 | |
| Terry Hanratty | Sr. | 7 | 5–2 | AA | ||
| 1967 | Terry Hanratty | Jr. | 10 | 8–2 | Baugh | |
| 1966 | Coley O'Brien | So. | November 26 | 1 | 1–0 | |
| Terry Hanratty | So. | September 24 | 9 | 8–0–1 | AA | |
| 1965 | Tom Schoen | So. | October 9 | 1 | 1–0 | |
| Bill Zloch | Sr. | September 18 | 9 | 6–2–1 | ||
| 1964 | John Huarte | Sr. | 10 | 9–1 | AA, Heisman, CFHOF (2005) | |
| 1963 | Sandy Bonvechio | Jr. | November 16 | 2 | 0–2 | |
| Frank Budka | Sr. | 5 | 2–3 | |||
| John Huarte | Jr. | October 5 | 1 | 0–1 | ||
| Denis Szot | Sr. | 1 | 0–1 | |||
| 1962 | Denis Szot | Jr. | October 6 | 4 | 0–4 | |
| Daryle Lamonica | Sr. | 6 | 5–1 | AA | ||
| 1961 | Frank Budka | So. | November 11 | 4 | 2–2 | |
| Daryle Lamonica | Jr. | 6 | 3–3 | |||
| 1960 | Daryle Lamonica | So. | November 12 | 3 | 1–2 | |
| George Haffner | Jr. | September 24 | 7 | 1–6 | ||
| 1959 | George Izo | Sr. | 6 | 3–3 | ||
| Don White | Sr. | September 26 | 4 | 2–2 | ||
| 1958 | George Izo | Jr. | November 1 | 5 | 3–2 | |
| Robert Williams | Sr. | 5 | 3–2 | |||
| 1957 | Robert Williams | Jr. | 10 | 7–3 | ||
| 1956 | Robert Williams | So. | December 1 | 1 | 0–1 | |
| Paul Hornung | Sr. | 9 | 2–7 | AA, Heisman, Harley, CFHOF (1985) | ||
| 1955 | Paul Hornung | Jr. | September 24 | 10 | 8–2 | |
| 1954 | Tom Carey | Sr. | ||||
| Ralph Guglielmi | Sr. | AA, CFHOF (2001) | ||||
| 1953 | Ralph Guglielmi | Jr. | ||||
| 1952 | Tom Carey | So. | ||||
| Ralph Guglielmi | So. | |||||
| 1951 | Ralph Guglielmi | Fr. | ||||
| John Mazur | Sr. | |||||
| 1950 | John Mazur | Jr. | ||||
| Bob A. Williams | Sr. | AA, CFHOF (1988) | ||||
| 1949 | Bob A. Williams | Jr. | AA | |||
| 1948 | Frank Tripucka | Sr. | ||||
| 1947 | Johnny Lujack | Sr. | AA, Heisman, CFHOF (1960) | |||
| 1946 | Johnny Lujack | Jr. | AA | |||
| 1945 | Frank Dancewicz | Sr. | AA | |||
| 1944 | Frank Dancewicz | Jr. | ||||
| 1943 | Johnny Lujack | Fr. | November 6 | 4 | 3–1 | |
| Angelo Bertelli | Sr. | 6 | 6–0 | AA, Heisman, CFHOF (1972) | ||
| 1942 | Angelo Bertelli | Jr. | AA | |||
| 1941 | Angelo Bertelli[1] | So. | ||||
| Harry Wright | Jr. | |||||
| 1940 | Bob Hargrave | Jr. | ||||
| 1939 | Steve Sitko | Sr. | ||||
| 1938 | Steve Sitko | Jr. | ||||
| 1937 | Andy Puplis | Sr. | ||||
| 1936 | Andy Puplis | Jr. | ||||
| 1935 | Wally Fromhart | Sr. | ||||
| 1934 | Wally Fromhart | Jr. | ||||
| Bud Bonar | Sr. | |||||
| 1933 | Bud Bonar | Jr. | ||||
| 1932 | Chuck Jaskwhich | Sr. | ||||
| 1931 | Chuck Jaskwhich | Jr. | ||||
| 1930 | Frank Carideo | Sr. | October 4 | 10 | 10-0 | AA, CFHOF (1954) |
| 1929 | Frank Carideo | Jr. | AA | |||
| 1928 | Frank Carideo | So. | ||||
| Jim Brady | Sr. | |||||
| 1927 | Jim Brady | Jr. | ||||
| Chuck Riley | Sr. | |||||
| 1926 | Chuck Riley | Jr. | ||||
| Gene (Red) Edwards | Sr. | |||||
| 1925 | Albert Cullen | |||||
| Gene (Red) Edwards | Jr. | |||||
| 1924 | Gene (Red) Edwards | So. | ||||
| Harry Stuhldreher | Sr. | AA, CFHOF (1958) | ||||
| 1923 | Harry Stuhldreher | Jr. | September 30 | 10 | 9-1 | |
| 1922 | Harry Stuhldreher | So. | ||||
| Frank Thomas | Sr. | CFHOF (1951) | ||||
| 1921 | Chet Grant | Sr. | September 24 | 11 | 10-1 | |
| 1920 | Joe Brandy | Sr. | October 2 | 9 | 9-0 | |
| 1919 | Leonard (Pete) Bahan | Sr. | October 4 | 9 | 9-0 | |
| 1918 | Bill Mohn | Sr. | September 28 | 6 | 3-1-2 | |
| 1917 | Bill (Tex) Allison | Jr. | October 27 | |||
| Jim Phelan | Sr. | CFHOF (1973) | ||||
| 1916 | Jim Phelan | Jr. | September 30 | 9 | 8-1 | |
| 1915 | Jim Phelan | So. | October 2 | 8 | 7-1 | |
| 1914 | Alfred (Dutch) Bergman | Sr. | October 3 | 8 | 6-2 | |
| 1913 | Charles (Gus) Dorais | Sr. | October 4 | 7 | 7-0 | AA, CFHOF (1954) |
| 1912 | Charles (Gus) Dorais | Jr. | October 5 | 7 | 7-0 | |
| 1911 | Charles (Gus) Dorais | So. | October 7 | 8 | 6-0-2 | |
| 1910 | Charles (Gus) Dorais | Fr. | October 8 | 6 | 4–1–1 | |
| 1909 | Don Hamilton | So. | October 9 | 8 | 7-0-1 | |
| 1908 | Don Hamilton | Fr. | October 3 | 9 | 8-1 | |
| 1907 | Billy Ryan | Fr. | October 12 | 7 | 6-0-1 | |
| 1906 | Bob Bracken | Sr. | October 6 | 7 | 6-1 | |
| 1905 | Nate Silver | Sr. | September 30 | 9 | 5-4 | |
| 1904 | Dick Coad | Fr. | October 27 | 1 | 1–0 | |
| Nate Silver | Jr. | October 1 | 7 | 4-3 | ||
| 1903 | Nate Silver | So. | October 3 | 9 | 8–0–1 | |
| 1902 | Henry (Fuzzy) McGlew | Jr. | September 27 | 9 | 6-2-1 | |
| 1901 | Henry (Fuzzy) McGlew | So. | September 28 | 10 | 8-1-1 | |
| 1900 | Clarence Diebold | Fr. | September 29 | 10 | 6-3-1 | |
| 1899 | Angus McDonald | Sr. | September 27 | 10 | 8-1-1 | |
| 1898 | Charles Fleming | Jr. | October 8 | 6 | 4-2 | |
| 1897 | Fred Waters | Fr. | October 13 | 6 | 4–1–1 | |
| 1896 | Frank Hering | Jr. | October 8 | 7 | 4–3 | |
| 1895 | Bill Walsh | Sr. | October 19 | 4 | 3–1 | |
| 1894 | Nicholas Dinkel | Sr. | October 13 | 5 | 3–1–1 | |
| 1893 | Charles Zeitler | Jr. | October 25 | 5 | 4–1 | |
| 1892 | Pat Coady | Sr. | October 19 | 2 | 1–0–1 | |
| 1889 | Ed Coady | Sr. | 1 | 1–0 | ||
| 1888 | Ed Coady | Jr. | December 6 | 1 | 1–0 | |
| Joe Cusack | Jr. | April 20 | 2 | 0–2 | ||
| 1887 | George Cartier | So. | November 23 | 1 | 0–1 |
Win–loss records
[edit]Quarterbacks who have started for Notre Dame from 1972 through 2023. A player is credited with a win if he started the game and the team won that game, no matter if the player was injured or permanently removed on the second play from scrimmage.
| Quarterback | Jersey No. | Games Started | Wins | Losses | Ties | Winning Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riley Leonard | 13 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 |
| Steve Angeli | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Sam Hartman | 10 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 |
| Drew Pyne | 10 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 |
| Tyler Buchner | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 |
| Jack Coan | 17 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | .846 |
| Ian Book | 12 | 35 | 30 | 5 | 0 | .857 |
| Brandon Wimbush | 7 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 |
| DeShone Kizer | 14 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 0 | .521 |
| Malik Zaire | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Everett Golson | 5 | 19 | 17 | 6 | 0 | .739 |
| Tommy Rees | 11, 13 | 31 | 23 | 8 | 0 | .742 |
| Dayne Crist | 10 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 |
| Jimmy Clausen | 7 | 34 | 16 | 18 | 0 | .471 |
| Evan Sharpley | 13 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 |
| Demetrius Jones | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Brady Quinn | 10 | 46 | 29 | 17 | 0 | .630 |
| Carlyle Holiday | 7 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 0 | .625 |
| Pat Dillingham | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Matt LoVecchio | 10 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 |
| Gary Godsey | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| Arnaz Battle | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| Jarious Jackson | 7 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 0 | .609 |
| Eric Chappell | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Ron Powlus | 3 | 46 | 29 | 16 | 1 | .641 |
| Tom Krug | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| Paul Failla | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Kevin McDougal | 15 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | .909 |
| Rick Mirer | 3 | 36 | 28 | 7 | 1 | .792 |
| Tony Rice | 9 | 31 | 28 | 3 | 0 | .903 |
| Kent Graham | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Terry Andrysiak | 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | .571 |
| Steve Beuerlein | 7 | 39 | 21 | 18 | 0 | .537 |
| Scott Grooms | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Blair Kiel | 5 | 29 | 18 | 9 | 2 | .638 |
| Jim O'Hara | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Ken Karcher | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| Tim Koegel | 14 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 |
| Mike Courey | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Rusty Lisch | 6 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | .615 |
| Joe Montana | 3 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 0 | .800 |
| Rick Slager | 11 | 18 | 15 | 3 | 0 | .833 |
| Tom Clements | 2 | 34 | 29 | 5 | 0 | .853 |
Most starts
[edit]These quarterbacks have the 25 or more starts for Notre Dame since 1960.
| Name | Period | Starts | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ron Powlus | 1994–1997 | 46 | 29 | 16 | 1 | .641 |
| 1 | Brady Quinn | 2003–2006 | 46 | 29 | 17 | 0 | .630 |
| 3 | Steve Beuerlein | 1983–1986 | 39 | 21 | 18 | 0 | .537 |
| 4 | Rick Mirer | 1990–1992 | 36 | 28 | 7 | 1 | .792 |
| 5 | Ian Book | 2017–2020 | 35 | 30 | 5 | 0 | .857 |
| 6 | Tom Clements | 1972–1974 | 34 | 29 | 5 | 0 | .853 |
| 6 | Jimmy Clausen | 2007–2009 | 34 | 16 | 18 | 0 | .471 |
| 8 | Tony Rice | 1987–1989 | 31 | 28 | 3 | 0 | .903 |
| 8 | Tommy Rees | 2010–2013 | 31 | 23 | 8 | 0 | .742 |
| 10 | Blair Kiel | 1980–1983 | 29 | 18 | 9 | 2 | .655 |
| 11 | Terry Hanratty | 1966–1968 | 26 | 21 | 4 | 1 | .827 |
| 12 | Joe Theismann | 1968–1970 | 25 | 20 | 3 | 2 | .840 |
| 12 | Joe Montana | 1975–1978 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 0 | .800 |
Notes
[edit]- ^ Technically, the starting QB throughout 1941 was Harry Wright (who eventually moved to guard). However, for the first time, new head coach Frank Leahy implemented the T formation, in which the QB exclusively took the snap from the center and directed the passing offense. Therefore, HB Bertelli assumed the "modern" role of QB, whereas Wright (as well as most other QBs during the 1930s) was utilized primarily as a blocker and receiver, akin to the modern fullback.
References
[edit]- Bob Boyles & Paul Guido, 50 Years of College Football: A Modern History of America's Most Colorful Sport, (Skyhorse Publishing 2007) ISBN 978-1-60239-090-4, pp 1070–1077.
- ESPN College Football Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Game, (ESPN Books 2005) ISBN 1-4013-3703-1, pp 640–641.
- Eric Hansen, Stadium Stories: Notre Dame Fighting Irish, (The Globe Pequot Press 2004) ISBN 0-7627-3139-7, pp 198–200.
- Steele, Michael R. The Fighting Irish Football Encyclopedia. Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing LLC (1996).
- UND.com, "All-Time Lineups" (PDF).