Marcus Freeman: Notre Dame ‘still in a competition’ in quarterback battle
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Marcus Freeman’s update on Sunday was that there was really nothing to update in Notre Dame’s quarterback competition.
With the season opener at Miami exactly 2 weeks away, redshirt freshman CJ Carr and redshirt sophomore Kenny Minchey were still locked in a steel-cage battle to see who will replace Riley Leonard as the Fighting Irish’s starting signal-caller.
Freeman didn’t beat around the bush on Sunday after the final scrimmage of fall camp. Notre Dame’s head coach told reporters that “we’re still in a competition” as Carr and Minchey have yet to separate themselves in one of the most closely watched quarterback battles in the country.
Freeman added: “We gotta make a decision here soon. I don’t want to put a timeline on it.”
Here is Sunday’s post on the competition by Pete Sampson of The Athletic:
Minchey and Carr have been locked in their 2-man quarterback battle since the end of spring practice. When redshirt junior Steve Angeli transferred to Syracuse, it was time for Carr or Minchey to take charge. Neither one has yet, even as the season opener rapidly approaches in Miami.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Carr is a traditional pocket passer who has shown the ability to throw with accuracy since he arrived in South Bend in December 2023.
Then there’s Minchey, who has shown the ability to fire accurate passes while on the run.
Neither one is running away with the starting quarterback job — not at this moment, at least. Freeman knows that somebody has to win out, and it has to happen soon.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
