Notre Dame transfer quarterback Tyler Buchner commits to Alabama
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama’s quarterback room is adding another member. Two days after entering his name in the transfer portal, Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner committed to the Crimson Tide on Thursday morning. The transfer reunites Buchner with his former offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who joined Alabama from Notre Dame in February. The redshirt sophomore has three years of eligibility remaining.
“Sometimes life brings opportunities that are beyond anything you can imagine and that is what has happened today,” Buchner wrote in a social media post. “I have committed to play football for the University of Alabama and head coach Nick Saban. I know this is the best decision for my future, and I can’t wait to get to Tuscaloosa and begin the next step of my football journey.”
Playing under Rees last season, Buchner started the year as Notre Dame’s quarterback. The quarterback then lost his spot after suffering a shoulder injury during the Irish’s Week 2 loss to Marshall. Buchner earned the start during Notre Dame’s 45-38 victory over South Carolina in the Gator Bowl, completing 18 of 33 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions. Over his three starts, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound quarterback completed 55.4% of his passes for 651 yards and three touchdowns with five interceptions. He also added 123 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Buchner’s arrival gives Alabama five scholarship quarterbacks. The Crimson Tide returns redshirt sophomore Jalen Milroe and redshirt freshman Ty Simpson and brought in a pair of four-star freshmen in Eli Holstein and Dylan Lonergan.
Milroe and Simpson have been the two front runners to fill the starting opening left behind by former Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young. The pair of returning quarterbacks both underwent up-and-down spring camps before struggling during the A-Day scrimmage over the weekend.
Later in the day Thursday, Nick Saban explained his decision to bring in Buchner while talking to College Gameday.
"We wanted to give our quarterbacks in our program every opportunity to win the job in spring practice," he said. "We felt like we needed to add some competition in the room. Tyler was certainly a guy that was going to be the starter last year at Notre Dame, got injured, played in the bowl game, played very well. So we thought he would add a lot of competition, and we think he's got the right kind of character and attitude to be a positive influence on our team."
Buchner had an offer from Alabama when he chose to sign with Notre Dame as the No. 6 quarterback and No. 113 overall player in the 2021 class. The San Diego native competed with Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman for Notre Dame’s starting quarterback role this spring before electing to transfer.