After a string of transfer portal rental quarterbacks, Notre Dame will have its first authentic quarterback battle in many years. Take a deeper look at the three candidates vying for the coveted position.

Photo By The Irish Tribune
For the past two seasons, Notre Dame has found success dipping into the ACC for a transfer portal quarterback with one year left of eligibility. While former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard had more on-field success than Wake Forest's Sam Hartman, both excelled at embracing Notre Dame's culture and earning the respect of their teammates by being named captain.
While rumors swirled amid Notre Dame's quest for the National Championship, Marcus Freeman admittedly denied the Irish's interest in any transfer portal quarterback. The possibility of Quinn Ewers or Jalen Milroe running Mike Denbrock’s offense was intriguing; however, with both opting for the NFL Draft and the depth in Notre Dame's QB room, it’s clear that the 2025 starter has already been in South Bend for at least a year.
Many are already crowning top-rated prospect CJ Carr the man for the job. Others believe in the most-tested option in senior Steve Angeli. Then, there is Kenny Minchey who was a late class signing and could be a dark horse candidate for the coveted position. Let's break down the options for Marcus Freeman, Mike Denbrock, and quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli.

Steve Angeli
Even though the CJ Carr hype is through the roof, and rightfully so because of how talented of a high school prospect he was, Steve Angeli is my odds-on favorite to be Notre Dame's starting quarterback against Miami in Hard Rock Stadium to start the 2025 campaign.
With one start under his belt, Angeli is the most experienced Fighting Irish quarterback, and yes, while his Sun Bowl performance was a highlight of Angeli's career, the role he played in this year's Orange Bowl was a glimpse into the future for the New Jersey product.
After Riley Leonard had to go into concussion protocol and the Notre Dame offense was on the ropes, Angeli was a calm, confident force who went 6/7 for 44 yards and led Notre Dame to their first points of the game.
When comparing Angeli's skillset to previous Notre Dame quarterbacks, his game style resembles more Jack Coan than anyone else. Angeli's greatest strength is his accuracy and the ability to read defenses. In the Sun Bowl, Angeli had great timing on all of his throws and was able to put the ball in a position for a receiver to run after the catch.
Angeli's biggest weakness, and an area for improvement through winter ball, is his pocket presence and mobility. Angeli, at times, can look like a statue in the pocket. If the ball isn't out within three seconds of the snap, there is a problem. Angeli is nowhere near the athlete Riley Leonard was, and the previous quarterbacks Mike Denbrock has had success with in his scheme (Jayden Daniels and Desmond Ridder). He doesn't have the athleticism to play make when a play falls apart, and this will be the main hindrance to Angeli's game.
CJ Carr
A consensus top five quarterback by three of the major four recruiting ranking outlets, CJ Carr was a longtime Notre Dame commit who learned the ropes his freshman year.
The biggest reason some people were starting to throw transfer portal quarterback rumors into the conversation was because of CJ Carr's lingering elbow injury that had the three-time first-team all-state quarterback sidelined from many practices and pre-game warm-ups.
The lack of throwing and his potentially injury-prone nature could be a cause of concern for Notre Dame fans. Yet, when you watch Carr's highlights, it is clear he has the highest ceiling out of anyone in this quarterback room. Carr has impeccable accuracy, is confident in the pocket, and has active footwork when going through his reads.
In Notre Dame's spring game, Carr dazzled both with his arm and his legs. While he may have been too eager to leave the pocket in the spring game, he was only three months removed from high school football. Being an early enrollee should have also aided Carr as well. Being around senior leaders and learning Mike Denbrock's offense the past year and a half gives Carr an edge, but the health of the redshirt freshman quarterback will be the point to monitor all throughout the winter.
Kenny Minchey
The third option for the starting position is Kenny Minchey. Minchey has the most promise with his legs, but is still more of a gunslinger. He was a late Notre Dame commit after Tommy Rees and Marcus Freeman flipped him from Pittsburgh and he finished his high school career throwing for 5,212 yards and 53 touchdowns.
Minchey saw action against Purdue this year and had a seven-yard rushing touchdown, which was the first touchdown of his career. Minchey also had a rushing touchdown during the 2024 Spring Game.
Minchey probably has the strongest arm of the quarterback room but is the most reckless out of the three. He did throw an interception during the Spring Game, and at times seemed to rush through his reads. It seems as though Minchey is simply the middle child stuck between the more experienced Angeli and the highly touted Carr. However, he will get an equally fair shot in the battle and is definitely in the running to be the starter.
Take Your Pick
While much of the fanbase wants to start the CJ Carr era, I think Steve Angeli provides the current highest upside if the Irish aspire to make another national championship run this year. By opening the season with its two hardest games, at Miami and at home against Texas A&M, it will be a difficult situation for any of the Irish quarterbacks; yet Marcus Freeman and Mike Denbrock have seven months to figure out who gives them the best opportunity to win.

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