2 min read • September 13, 2022
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Tyler Buchner was supposed to be the future of the new Notre Dame under head coach Marcus Freeman. But, after going 0-2 in his first two starts accompanied by a season-ending shoulder injury, the future isn’t looking as glamorous. “He ended up getting, I think, a Grade 5 out of 6 AC sprain in his non-throwing shoulder,” said Marcus Freeman, according to Matt Fortuna of the Athletic. This type of severe grade isn’t as common as lower-level sprains, which allows you to return after a couple of weeks. Unlike those, his will keep him out for the whole season and require immediate surgery. The timetable given by Freeman is four months.
Buchner threw for 177 yards in his first game while not completing touchdown passes. According to ESPN, he only completed 55.6 of his passes against Ohio State and had a 54.4 QBR. In the second game, he played against an unranked Marshall team that had won less than five games against a ranked team in their history. They lost that game by five points when they were favored by 20.5 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Buchner threw two interceptions in the game with a passer rating below 100, while the team went 0-2. Junior Quarterback Drew Pyne will start for The Fighting Irish for the rest of the year.
Notre Dame’s receiving core has already taken multiple blows this season with the loss of Avery Davis to an ACL tear, and Joe Wilkins Jr is still recovering from a Lisfranc injury. The injured receiving core won’t make it easier for their replacement quarterback.
Project draft selection Brett Johnson has had a season-ending injury for the second time in two years. The Cal staff carted off the 2022 preseason All-Pac 12 second-team selection on the practice field during the last week of fall camp. The injury has been described as a lower-body injury unrelated to his prior hip injury. In the 2021 season, Johnson got into a car accident that caused him hip surgery. This severe injury forced him to miss his entire third year after playing in all 17 games in his first and second years. Despite his injury history, ESPN’s Todd McShay had listed Johnson as the No. 40 prospect for the 2023 NFL draft.
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It should go without saying, but typically when an arm goes limp like Tyler Buchner’s did after this weight-bearing hit the recovery timeline is substantial. No official diagnosis on the Notre Dame starting quarterback yet, but that looks like a severe shoulder injury.
