© Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Notre Dame Quarterback Room Has A Chance To Be Special
The spring practice period showed that Notre Dame has loads of potential at quarterback, although questions still remain
Good quarterback play has been hit or miss at Notre Dame in recent seasons, but even when it has been good it hasn't been quite good enough. Notre Dame hasn't had a quarterback that had the kind of talent or production to truly carry the Irish offense to elite heights in quite some time. We don't know if the 2024 season will turn that around, or if ultimately it will be more of the same.
While the spring didn't give us the answer to that question, it certainly raised expectations, at least for me. What we saw from Notre Dame throughout the spring is that there is loads of talent in the room, and while it is unproven, there are multiple players with the tools to develop into big time college players.
Notre Dame enters the summer with a room filed with talent, but there are questions that remain.
RILEY LEONARD'S HEALTH IS THE KEY
Right now there is no bigger question than the health of senior Riley Leonard. The Duke transfer has loads of talent, but we don't know if he'll be able to return to being the player he was prior to the ankle injury that he sustained against Notre Dame back in September. Leonard has had multiple surgeries on that ankle since that happened, including two since he arrived at Notre Dame in January.
Leonard is a dynamic run-throw player that is the perfect fit for the Mike Denbrock offense. Even if he simply returns to the form he showed in 2022 he'll have a chance to lead a Notre Dame offense that is certainly good enough to earn a playoff berth. If Leonard can improve as a passer but remain that same dynamic runner, Notre Dame will have a truly elite offense.
But can Leonard get back to full speed? Will he still be a willing runner after the ankle injuries? Will he be able to get up to speed in the offense, and get on the same page with the pass catchers? Will he be able to overcome the lost time and develop greater consistency as a thrower? If the answer to those questions turns out to be yes the Irish will have one of the nation's best quarterbacks in 2024.
We will have to wait a few more months before the answers to those questions are revealed, but make no mistake, Leonard being healthy is the biggest key to success for the Notre Dame offense in 2024.
DEPTH CHART MADE BIG STRIDES
There was understandable optimism about the quarterback room before the spring started, and all three of the younger quarterbacks showed promise this spring. I can only speak for myself, but coming out of the spring I feel a whole lot better about the depth at quarterback than I did before it began.
Junior Steve Angeli had a quality performance in the Blue-Gold Game and was steady throughout the spring. Angeli lacks big time arm talent and he's not a dynamic athlete, but he's smart, he's a leader and in limited action he's shown himself to be a gamer. I have doubts about Angeli's ability to lead Notre Dame to the promised land as a full-time starter, but his moxey and confidence give him enough tools to be the ideal backup quarterback that can come off the bench and win you a game.
The next step for Angeli is showing that he can get past his first read with greater consistency, and be more willing to attack down the field.
Sophomore Kenny Minchey is still a work in progress in many regards, but he ended the spring by showing he had some playmaking ability as a runner that I honestly didn't know he had. Minchey is a good athlete, that was never in doubt, but in high school he primarily used that to move around in the pocket to buy time to throw. This spring he showed the ability to be a chain mover with his legs.
The next step for Minchey is playing with more certainy as a passer. When Minchey knows where to go with the ball it comes out on time and is a thing of beauty. If he can show the ability to handle the pressure and be more consistent as a decision maker, Minchey will have a chance to be a really good college quarterback.
I graded freshman CJ Carr out as a five-star recruiting coming out of high school, so I'm not surprised he impressed throughout the spring. Carr throws a great ball and a player with his ability is going to make a strong first impression. While I graded his football IQ out as elite, I am still a bit surprised that he already shows a better ability to work through progressions than the older players on the roster. That means Carr is even further along than I expected him to be, and I had very high expectations.
Carr is far from being a finished production, which is exciting when you consider how he played this spring. He'll need to keep filling out and getting stronger, and there is still plenty of room for him to improve his timing and decision making as a passer.
WHO EMERGES AS NO. 2
Angeli began spring as the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart and he likely ended it was the No. 2 quarterback. Based on what I saw this spring, and based on some things I have heard from various sources, that hold on the No. 2 spot is not nearly as firm now as it was when the spring began.
Yes, Angeli can get you out of a game, and there are a lot of opponents on the Irish 2024 schedule that you can beat with him at quarterback. But Angeli has enough limitations that make me question whether he is the kind of guy that can lead Notre Dame on a deep playoff run. On top of that, I don't believe there's any debate that both Minchey and Carr have far superior arm talent.
Minchey showed himself to be a more impactful mover than Angeli and he throws a better deep ball. Carr also has a better arm and in both the Jersey Scrimmage and Blue-Gold Game he showed a better ability to go through his progressions and be more of a playmaker as a thrower. Both got much-needed experience this spring, and I have a hard time seeing Angeli holding both of them off by the time fall camp is over.
This matters for a number of reasons, not the least of which being that whoever wins the No. 2 job will need to be ready if Leonard goes down with another injury. The winner of the No. 2 quarterback battle will also go into the spring of 2025 in pole position to win the next quarterback battle.
Will Angeli hold onto the spot? Can Minchey make a big jump and win the job? Will Carr's elite talent carry the day in year one? I can't wait to see how this one shakes out in fall camp.
WHAT WE KNOW
Here's what we know about the Notre Dame quarterback room right now:
*** Riley Leonard is arguably the best dual-threat quarterback in the country if he's healthy.
*** Leonard has the kind of skillset that has thrived in the Denbrock offense at Notre Dame, Cincinnati and LSU.
*** Angeli has the confidence to be a leader of the Irish offense.
*** Minchey has loads of arm talent and can hurt the defense with his legs as well.
*** Carr is the most natural passer to arrive at Notre Dame since Jimmy Clausen back in 2007.
WHAT WE DON'T KNOW
Here's what we don't yet know about the Notre Dame quarterback room:
*** If Leonard will be able to get back to full strength, and if he does, can he be the same player than he was before? Can he be even better?
*** If Angeli has another gear from a processing standpoint.
*** If Minchey can be consistent enough as a decision maker to out-play the other quarterbacks on a consistent basis.
*** If Carr is really ready as a true freshman to pass up two other talented quarterbacks.
*** If the Notre Dame coaches are truly willing to allow a younger player to pass up an older player at quarterback.
*** If the play at quarterback can be good enough for the Notre Dame offense to play championship football.
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