Tyler Buchner Re-Joins Notre Dame as Walk-On WR; Won Lacrosse National Title with ND

Tyler Buchner's very unique college athletics career is coming full circle with a return to Notre Dame's football team.

Four days after helping the Fighting Irish lacrosse team repeat as national champions, Buchner announced he will be re-joining the football team as a walk-on wide receiver for the 2024 season.

Kyle Kelly of On3.com noted Buchner would count toward Notre Dame football's 85-man scholarship limit if he appears in a game and isn't on scholarship as a lacrosse player.

It's unclear if Buchner has a lacrosse scholarship, but his announcement does note he told his parents he "would pay my way through school because I only wanted to be at Notre Dame."

Buchner originally committed to Notre Dame in March 2019, two years before he was going to graduate from high school.

After arriving on campus in 2021, Buchner spent his first two seasons with the program playing sparingly. He was the backup to Jack Coan as a freshman.

Buchner entered 2022 as the starter, but a shoulder injury suffered in a 26-21 loss to Marshall ended his regular season after two games. He was able to return to help lead the Irish to a 45-38 victory over South Carolina in the Gator Bowl.

Following the 2022 season, Buchner entered the transfer portal and landed at Alabama. Tommy Rees, who was Notre Dame's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Buchner's first season with the program, was the Crimson Tide offensive coordinator in 2023.

Buchner only threw 19 passes in two games for the Crimson Tide. The California native entered the transfer portal in December 2023 as a lacrosse player, even though he hadn't played the sport since high school.

Soon after entering the transfer portal, Buchner announced he was going back to Notre Dame. He had one assist in 10 games for the Fighting Irish lacrosse team this season.

Notre Dame finished the 2024 lacrosse season with a 16-1 record, including a 15-5 victory over Maryland in the national title game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Monday.