Former Badgers QB Coan transferring to Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Former Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan says he’s transferring to Notre Dame.

Coan posted a tweet Monday night that included the Notre Dame logo along with the message, “Extremely thankful for the opportunity. Let’s get to work! @NDFootball.”

Wisconsin disclosed two weeks ago that Coan had entered the transfer portal. Notre Dame and Wisconsin are scheduled to face each other on Sept. 25 at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

Notre Dame’s 2021 roster was lacking a proven quarterback. The Fighting Irish need to replace three-year starter Ian Book, whose college career ended Friday with a 31-14 loss to Alabama in a College Football Playoff semifinal.

Coan made 18 starts for Wisconsin from 2018-19 but injured his right foot in preseason practice this year and underwent surgery. The 6-foot-3 senior from Sayville, New York, suited up for Wisconsin’s final three regular-season games but didn’t play. Redshirt freshman Graham Mertz has taken over as the Badgers’ starting quarterback.

During the 2019 season, Coan completed a school-record 236 passes for 2,727 yards with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions as Wisconsin went 10-4 and reached the Rose Bowl.

Coan completed 68% of his passes for 3,278 yards with 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions at Wisconsin. The Badgers went 12-6 in the games Coan started, including 8-3 in Big Ten games.

The Irish’s returning scholarship quarterbacks are Brendon Clark and Drew Pyne, though Clark was dealing with a knee injury during the latter part of this season. Notre Dame’s recruiting class includes quarterbacks Tyler Buchner and Ron Powlus III, the son of former Irish quarterback and current associate athletic director Ron Powlus.

Buchner is rated as the nation’s No. 3 dual-threat quarterback and No. 65 overall prospect in his class according to composite rankings compiled by 247Sports.