<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3eMEnN_0vkox1Nj00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3eMEnN_0vkox1Nj00" width="1200" height="630" >Senior quarterback Riley Leonard has earned selection to the 2024 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award Watch List. The award annually honors exemplary leadership by a college football player, and factors in an individual’s attitude, work to overcome hardship and ability to inspire others. A 2024 Notre Dame team captain, Leonard has also been named to the 2024 watch lists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the Maxwell Award. He is one of 52 players on the Witten Award’s watch list. Leonard is a two-time team captain, once at Duke in 2023, and earned selection by his teammates as a Notre Dame captain for the 2024 season. His selection as a captain came heading into his first season at Notre Dame, even more notable as he was unable to practice fully in the spring due to injury. His efforts to form relationships with his teammates and earn a starting role with the program exemplified his leadership and team-focused approach. Leonard has led the Irish to a 3-1 record so far in 2024, with a season-opening win at No. 20 Texas A&amp;M. Leonard ranks third among all active FBS quarterbacks in career rushing touchdowns with 25, including three in the first half alone at Purdue. Leonard is the only Power 4 quarterback this season to rush for 100+ yards in multiple games, one of just four FBS quarterbacks this season to achieve the feat. Leonard’s six rushing touchdowns this season tie for the lead among all Power 4 quarterbacks, rank T-second among FBS quarterbacks and T-11th among all FBS players. His 322 rushing yards this season rank second among Power 4 quarterbacks and fifth among all FBS quarterbacks. In 2023, Leonard started all seven games in which he played for Duke, going 95-for-165 and 1,102 yards (57.5 percent completion rate) and three touchdowns. He rushed 58 times for 352 yards (44-yard long) and four touchdowns on the season. In 2022, he started all 13 games for the Blue Devils, completing 250-of-392 (.638) passes for 2,967 yards with 20 touchdowns, while leading the team in rushing with 699 yards on 124 carries and 13 touchdowns. He was one of three FBS quarterbacks to amass more than 2,900 passing yards and 695 rushing yards, joining LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye. </div></body>

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Leonard Named to Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award Watch List

Senior quarterback Riley Leonard has earned selection to the 2024 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award Watch List. The award annually honors exemplary leadership by a college football player, and factors in an individual’s attitude, work to overcome hardship and ability to inspire others. A 2024 Notre...