![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/1491\/2024\/09\/0.jpg\")
God Has Me & He\u2019s In Control \u2013 <\/em><\/strong>Riley Leonard<\/strong><\/h3>\nNotre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard is \u201cnaturally curious, insanely talented, relentlessly competitive, deeply religious,\u201d says the South Bend Tribune<\/a>. <\/em>And Leonard has noted, \u201cI have that faith-based mindset that God has me and he\u2019s in control.\u201d<\/p>\nThese traits mean that Leonard is able to keep it clean \u201cwhile cleaning the competition\u2019s clock\u2026.\u201d according to the Tribune<\/em>. He \u201chas passed test after test while thriving in a variety of ad-hoc displays of skill and will.\u201d<\/p>\nThe 21-year-old began his college football career in 2021 at Duke University. He led the Blue Devils to their best season in eight years in 2022 and entered the football transfer portal after three years there. Notre Dame was the only school he visited during the transfer process, and he made a commitment to it in less than two weeks.<\/p>\n
Faith was a factor in his decision, and it also didn\u2019t hurt that his great-grandfather, James Curran, played for the Fighting Irish in the early 1940s.<\/p>\n
Leonard\u2019s Faith<\/strong><\/h3>\nAs the 6-foot-4-inch, 212-pound quarterback began his final season of college football, he said that faith is paramount in his life. \u201cWhen I go to bed at night, I\u2019m not thinking, \u2018How many touchdown passes did I throw?\u2019 I\u2019m thinking, \u2018Did I better my relationship with Jesus Christ? Did I treat my girlfriend with respect?\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Sports Spectrum<\/a><\/em> noted that \u201che sometimes posts about his faith on Instagram, and he writes in his bio, \u2018No God \u2013 No Peace. Know God \u2013 Know Peace.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\nThe new Notre Dame quarterback grew up in Fairhope, AL, where he played high school football and basketball. \u201cA lot of my core values and what I believe in come from the good people that I met in Alabama\u2026. I couldn\u2019t be more grateful,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
His football coach at Fairhope High School, Tim Carter, has described Leonard as \u201cone of the most humble kids I\u2019ve ever coached. Probably the most humble kid I\u2019ve ever coached. He\u2019s just so competitive. But he does it in a way that doesn\u2019t alienate. It\u2019s an inclusive competitiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leonard thought he would play collegiate basketball like his father Chad, who played NCAA Division I basketball at The Citadel. Samford University and Missouri State wanted the younger Leonard. Yet, he chose football.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn three seasons with the (Duke) Blue Devils, Leonard passed for 4,450 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing 61.7 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 1,224 yards and 19 more touchdowns,\u201d according to Essentially Sports.<\/em><\/p>\nNot bad for someone who played an abbreviated season in 2023 after sustaining an ankle injury against \u2013 ironically \u2013 Notre Dame. \u201cLeonard underwent a procedure on his ankle in January and then had another surgery that cut short his spring practice in March,\u201d Notre Dame said after Leonard transferred.<\/p>\n
A Faith-based Mindset<\/strong><\/h3>\nLeonard\u2019s faith-based mindset helped when he injured his ankle and again when he reinjured it last season. \u201cMy faith has kind of gotten me through all this,\u201d he recently said. \u201cThe way I see it is maybe this protects me from something worse. Maybe if I don\u2019t have this second ankle surgery, maybe something worse happens to me\u2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I knew what God knew, I wouldn\u2019t be asking any questions at all and I wouldn\u2019t be hesitating on his decisions,\u201d Slap the Sign <\/em>quoted Leonard as saying.<\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s relieving to have a higher spirit that has your back, something that you can fall back on. When I\u2019m down, that\u2019s the first thing I go to. I run to the Father\u2026. And he always picks me back up,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Leonard\u2019s teammate, Jayden Thomas, said, \u201cIt\u2019s kind of weird how competitive he is, but also how nice he is as a person.\u201d Another teammate, Jayden Harrison, noted that Leonard isn\u2019t an entitled quarterback. Rather, he truly cares about people. \u201cYou only meet a (small) amount of people like that\u2026. (he\u2019s) dang near like Tim Tebow as a person.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tebow, a former Florida quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, also has a faith-based mindset. He\u2019s an outspoken Christian who has been featured in two of my Patheos posts: Christianity & Humanitarianism Can Go <\/em>Hand-in-Hand<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and Faith & Football: 3 Heisman Winners Who Focus on God<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\nA Cross & A Bible Verse<\/strong><\/h3>\n
These traits mean that Leonard is able to keep it clean \u201cwhile cleaning the competition\u2019s clock\u2026.\u201d according to the Tribune<\/em>. He \u201chas passed test after test while thriving in a variety of ad-hoc displays of skill and will.\u201d<\/p>\n The 21-year-old began his college football career in 2021 at Duke University. He led the Blue Devils to their best season in eight years in 2022 and entered the football transfer portal after three years there. Notre Dame was the only school he visited during the transfer process, and he made a commitment to it in less than two weeks.<\/p>\n Faith was a factor in his decision, and it also didn\u2019t hurt that his great-grandfather, James Curran, played for the Fighting Irish in the early 1940s.<\/p>\n As the 6-foot-4-inch, 212-pound quarterback began his final season of college football, he said that faith is paramount in his life. \u201cWhen I go to bed at night, I\u2019m not thinking, \u2018How many touchdown passes did I throw?\u2019 I\u2019m thinking, \u2018Did I better my relationship with Jesus Christ? Did I treat my girlfriend with respect?\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Sports Spectrum<\/a><\/em> noted that \u201che sometimes posts about his faith on Instagram, and he writes in his bio, \u2018No God \u2013 No Peace. Know God \u2013 Know Peace.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The new Notre Dame quarterback grew up in Fairhope, AL, where he played high school football and basketball. \u201cA lot of my core values and what I believe in come from the good people that I met in Alabama\u2026. I couldn\u2019t be more grateful,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n His football coach at Fairhope High School, Tim Carter, has described Leonard as \u201cone of the most humble kids I\u2019ve ever coached. Probably the most humble kid I\u2019ve ever coached. He\u2019s just so competitive. But he does it in a way that doesn\u2019t alienate. It\u2019s an inclusive competitiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n Leonard thought he would play collegiate basketball like his father Chad, who played NCAA Division I basketball at The Citadel. Samford University and Missouri State wanted the younger Leonard. Yet, he chose football.<\/p>\n \u201cIn three seasons with the (Duke) Blue Devils, Leonard passed for 4,450 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing 61.7 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 1,224 yards and 19 more touchdowns,\u201d according to Essentially Sports.<\/em><\/p>\n Not bad for someone who played an abbreviated season in 2023 after sustaining an ankle injury against \u2013 ironically \u2013 Notre Dame. \u201cLeonard underwent a procedure on his ankle in January and then had another surgery that cut short his spring practice in March,\u201d Notre Dame said after Leonard transferred.<\/p>\n Leonard\u2019s faith-based mindset helped when he injured his ankle and again when he reinjured it last season. \u201cMy faith has kind of gotten me through all this,\u201d he recently said. \u201cThe way I see it is maybe this protects me from something worse. Maybe if I don\u2019t have this second ankle surgery, maybe something worse happens to me\u2026.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I knew what God knew, I wouldn\u2019t be asking any questions at all and I wouldn\u2019t be hesitating on his decisions,\u201d Slap the Sign <\/em>quoted Leonard as saying.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s relieving to have a higher spirit that has your back, something that you can fall back on. When I\u2019m down, that\u2019s the first thing I go to. I run to the Father\u2026. And he always picks me back up,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n Leonard\u2019s teammate, Jayden Thomas, said, \u201cIt\u2019s kind of weird how competitive he is, but also how nice he is as a person.\u201d Another teammate, Jayden Harrison, noted that Leonard isn\u2019t an entitled quarterback. Rather, he truly cares about people. \u201cYou only meet a (small) amount of people like that\u2026. (he\u2019s) dang near like Tim Tebow as a person.\u201d<\/p>\n Tebow, a former Florida quarterback and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, also has a faith-based mindset. He\u2019s an outspoken Christian who has been featured in two of my Patheos posts: Christianity & Humanitarianism Can Go <\/em>Hand-in-Hand<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and Faith & Football: 3 Heisman Winners Who Focus on God<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\nLeonard\u2019s Faith<\/strong><\/h3>\n
A Faith-based Mindset<\/strong><\/h3>\n
A Cross & A Bible Verse<\/strong><\/h3>\n