Notre Dame QB Named Early 2025 Heisman Long Shot

CFN analyst sees Notre Dame's possible staring QB, CJ Carr, as a long shot breakout Heisman contender in 2025.

Apr 12, 2025; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) throws a pass during the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

The Notre Dame quarterback battle is intensifying as one of the hottest in college football. Who Marcus Freeman picks from CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey will go far in deciding whether the Fighting Irish continue their unfinished National Championship quest from last year.

Their chances of success would be the best with a Heisman Trophy-contending quarterback leading the offense. College Football Network's Pete Fiutak predicts Notre Dame's possible starting quarterback, CJ Carr, to be a Heisman underdog entering the regular season. Here's what he wrote:

"Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon, Alabama, and Michigan - in some order - are all top teams in contention for the College Football Playoff National Championship. One of the new, relatively unknown, big gig starting quarterbacks will rise up and be a superstar Heisman contender and take America by storm." 

All the other mentioned QBs have an equally good chance at being that long-shot candidate, though. It is more about which newly appointed starting quarterback can truly excel in his role at their blue blood program.

If they manage to have a standout year and lead their team to the College Football Playoff, or even better, the National Championship, they might have a strong chance at standing on the stage at Lincoln Center.

That said, Texas Longhorns' star quarterback Arch Manning is the most hyped to etch himself as the next Heisman winner. Then, of course, the other looked quarterbacks like Clemson's Cade Klubnik, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, and South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers.

Will Marcus Freeman name CJ Carr QB1?

Apr 12, 2025; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) throws a pass during the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

For Carr to prove his potential, he would first need to earn the starting spot. The battle between him and Kenny Minchey is the biggest off-season highlight of the program. Freeman seems to be in no mood to discontinue the anticipation surrounding the quarterback battle.

"We're still in a competition," Freeman said Sunday, making it clear that he has yet to decide between Minchey and Carr. The Fighting Irish head coach is evaluating the two down to their last snap before making the call.

"They're both good enough to help us win football games," offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock added later, suggesting that the battle could go either way. If Minchey wins over Carr, he might still have a shot at proving himself if Minchey gets injured later in the season, as remote a possibility as that might be.

Two weeks out from Week 1 at Miami, the #NotreDame QB battle rolls on between Kenny Minchey and CJ Carr:

"We're still in a competition." - Head Coach Marcus Freeman

"They're both good enough to help us win football games." - OC Mike Denbrock

Full thoughts from both ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/xUyffV7FaJ

— Bennett Wise WSBT (@BennettWiseWSBT) August 17, 2025

Winning the QB battle against Minchey would be just the first of countless steps towards the Heisman Trophy. Carr will later have to deliver something extraordinary and continue bringing the big moments consistently to match the hype of guys like Manning, Nussmeier, and Sellers to get his name in the mix.