"That was a brutal hit on Riley Leonard": Fans react to Notre Dame QB's medical setback in Orange Bowl

Fans reacted as Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard sustained a hit from the Penn State Nittany Lions in a College Football Playoff semifinal game at the Orange Bowl on Thursday.

The Notre Dame QB Leonard left the field and was evaluated for a concussion late in the first half due to the hit below.

Fans took to social media to discuss the hit on Riley Leonard that knocked him out of the game for the remainder of the first half.

"Hate to see this happen to a player like Leonard hoping it's nothing serious, and he's back on the field soon," one tweeted.

"That was a brutal hit on Riley Leonard. Penn State is dominating the trenches on both sides of the ball," one posted on X.

"Terrible luck for ND. Hope he can come back," another commented.

Others mentioned how backup quarterback Steve Angeli have played better in the first half, as he led a scoring drive for the Fighting Irish's only points.

"Peanut Butter Angeli time baby!," one excited fan wrote.

"The backups better," one simply put.

Riley Leonard struggled with his accuracy and command during the first half, so it will be interesting to see if the Notre Dame Fighting Irish can bounce back in the second half after trailing 10-3 at halftime.

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What happened to Riley Leonard?

The Leonard hit was one of the more brutal from the hard-hitting Penn State Nittany Lions defense. Defensive lineman Dvon J Thomas exerted a lot of pressure on the play and got a major hit on the Notre Dame quarterback.

Leonard bounced off the turf, and officials noticed that and asked him to be checked out by the medical staff. He was evaluated for a concussion and cleared the protocols before the start of the second half, meaning he was cleared to begin the third quarter.

Leonard's presence on the field is a major plus for the Notre Dame offense, thanks to his ample experience throughout his collegiate career.