Notre Dame Football: Top Passing Leaders of All Time

Notre Dame has had plenty of big-name quarterbacks in its storied history.

Icons such as Joe Montana and Joe Theismann were great, but they didn’t throw for a ton of yards compared to some of the modern day passers. And, of course, back in the day, there wasn’t as much downfield passing so some Heisman-caliber talents aren’t among the all-time passing greats.

Which QBs have been the most productive passers for the Irish? The evolution of offense to favor passing means some sleeper quarterbacks make their way onto the list of top all-time passers to become legends of their own.

The ten greatest all-time Notre Dame passing leaders are …

Jackson threw for 4,820 yards over two seasons as the Irish starter. His 1999 season set numerous passing records at the time, including for yards (2,753) and completions (184), which were all broken by Brady Quinn.

In two seasons as Notre Dame’s primary starter, Kizer threw for 5,809 yards. He also demonstrated his dual-threat ability by rushing for 18 touchdowns, one of the highest-ever marks for a Notre Dame quarterback.

Golson passed for 5,850 yards during his tumultuous career at Notre Dame, in which he spent the majority of two seasons as starter. He led the team to the 2012 national title game but this success was marred by a yearlong suspension in 2013 and his eventual transfer in 2014.

Mirer was an explosive player during his three years as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback. He posted a 29-7 record as a starter, finishing with 5,997 passing yards and also with 8.6 yards per pass attempt, one of the highest marks in school history.

As the first pre-2000s player to crack into the ranks, Powlus destroyed all sorts of school passing records during his career. He threw for 7,602 yards, 52 touchdowns, and completed 558 passes, and it took a decade for Brady Quinn to replace Powlus as the Notre Dame leader in these categories.

Beuerlein threw for 6,527 yards over four seasons as a starter, resetting most Notre Dame records, including pass attempts and completions. He also holds the dubious mark for most interceptions in school history, with 44.

Rees finished his tumultuous career with 7,670 passing yards. He also ranks third on Notre Dame with 61 touchdown passes and top five in completions and passing attempts.

Clausen accounted for 8,148 passing yards at Notre Dame, and lands in the top three in completions and passing attempts as well. His 62.6% completion rate also makes him one of the most accurate high-volume passers in Notre Dame history.

Book threw for 8,948 yards throughout his time at Notre Dame. He comes in at second in numerous other important categories, including touchdowns, completions, and attempts, and his 1518 career rushing yards stand out in comparison to other Irish quarterbacks.

Quinn threw for 11,762 yards during his illustrious four-year career, shattering Notre Dame’s record for passing yards and also its records for passing attempts (1602), completions (929) and touchdowns (95).

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