Notre Dame Enters A Very Important Period For Quarterback Recruiting

Quarterback recruiting at Notre Dame has been a wildly erratic affair over the last decade, but the Fighting Irish are going through a strong period. Over the next two weeks, Notre Dame hosts a pair of very talented 2025 quarterbacks, and how things go could launch the Irish into a stratosphere it hasn't been in for some time.

Notre Dame has had two strong quarterback recruiting classes in a row, landing talented quarterback Kenny Minchey in the 2023 class and big time quarterback CJ Carr in the 2024 class.

Minchey is a smart and talented passer that earned a Top 100 grade on the Irish Breakdown board. Carr is one of the highest floor prospects to come along in awhile, and he earned a five-star and Top 25 player grade on the Irish Breakdown board. It was Notre Dame's best back-to-back quarterback haul since it landed DeShone Kizer and Brandon Wimbush back in the 2014-15 classes.

Landing a big time quarterback in the 2025 class is vitally important for a host of reasons, and the top two players on the board will both be on campus over the next two weekends.

BEAR BACHMEIER

Murrieta Valley (Calif.) High School quarterback Bear Bachmeier is on campus this weekend to watch the Irish take on Central Michigan. Bachmeier is an ascending player that is off to a good start to his junior season, and he's making his first visit to Notre Dame as a recruit.

Bachmeier gives me a lot of Tyler Buchner 2019 vibes as a quarterback. You might not like that comparison, but I do. Buchner was a big time quarterback prospect, and the comparison I see is what Buchner was before changing his throwing motion. Bachmeier has a stronger arm than Buchner and isn't as dynamic athletically, but there are a lot of similarities in their game.

The 6-2, 220-pound California native is a bit of a gunslinger as a quarterback, showing very good downfield throwing ability. He has a strong arm, a quick release and he can do damage with his legs. He'll need to clean up his release point and footwork, but Bachmeier can make a lot of plays inside the structure of the offense and outside of it.

His raw tools are impressive, and he's just scratching the surface of his full potential. Bachmeier has the arm talent to attack down the field, and he can also thrive in the RPO game. His feel for the game has taken a jump as a junior, and it will only get better. Bachmeier passed for 2,853 yards and 26 touchdowns as a sophomore while throwing just four interceptions. He added 644 rushing yards (13.7 YPC) and 18 touchdowns.

DEUCE KNIGNT

Lucedale (Miss.) George County quarterback Deuce Knight has been a top target on Notre Dame's board for some time, if not the top target. Knight is slated to be on campus next weekend to watch Notre Dame take on Ohio State. He's one of the most physically gifted quarterbacks in the entire country, and while it's early, the 2025 class seems to be loaded at quarterback.

Knight is a left-handed passer that right now is more about potential than he is production or proven ability. But wow, the tools and potential are enormous. Knight has an exceptionally strong arm and a clean release, and he's a major threat inside and outside of the pocket. In college, with more development, Knight has the tools to be a major weapon in the pocket, and when things break down he can be scary good.

Knight needs a lot more development than other top quarterbacks in the class, but he still has plenty of time to grow his game. He is a quarterback coach's dream thanks to his raw tools, and by all reports his willingness to challenge himself and build his game.

The George County standout passed for just 1,929 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore, while rushing for 488 yards and 12 more touchdowns. He went from George Count to Lipscomb Academy (Tenn.) and back to George County this fall.

WIN-WIN SCENARIO

Notre Dame seems to be in the top group, if not on top of that group, with both Knight and Bachmeier. The question is who will actually end up in the class, and how should Notre Dame handle this two-man group.

Knight was once considered a strong Notre Dame lean and he talked about making a decision over the summer. Had he done that, there's little doubt that Notre Dame would have been the pick.

The issue for Notre Dame is that Knight keeps pushing back a decision, and he seems willing to get out see more schools, and revisit his top schools. Knight certainly has that right, and he has to do whatever he thinks is necessary to find the right school for him. But that leaves Notre Dame in a tough spot, because it brings back Dante Moore memories.

Notre Dame was the long time leader for Moore, my top quarterback in the 2023 class. Moore was a silent commit, and it was considered a matter of when not if he would join the class. Then it all changed, and ultimately Moore committed to Oregon before flipping to UCLA. Notre Dame had to scramble at quarterback, and they were fortunate to land a player of Minchey's talent and potential.

Does Notre Dame want to run that risk again with Knight, and hold back other quarterbacks while waiting on Knight, or do they have a "take the guy who wants to be here" approach? That's a great question, and we just might find that answer over the next coupe of weeks, if not sooner. Either way, Notre Dame is in a win-win if it lands either one of these two quarterbacks.

Waiting on Knight is a great move if he ends up in the class, but with 15 months between now and when the 2025 class can sign, it has to be a bit nerve wracking to land a big time southern quarterback with his ability, knowing what will be thrown at him between now and then. That's what might make Knight pushing back his decision back and back a bit nerve wracking.

When you consider Bachmeier's talent and potential as well, it makes the decision even harder .... but of course a case could be made it makes it easier. Instead of going back and forth about who might be better, the staff could just decide both quarterbacks have big time talent and potential, they will take the first guy who wants to come.

At the end of the day, I could see Notre Dame viewing this two-man quarterback as a win-win, which means whoever wants to come you take his commitment. It's a great place to be in, and the Irish staff could have a chance to close on one of these talented players over the next couple of weeks.

Why does it matter? The first answer is obvious, it gives Notre Dame a third straight big time quarterback talent. The second answer is also easy, just look at the 2024 class. Look at how impactful it was to get CJ Carr in the class so early. He's been the ring leader to a very, very talented class, especially on offense. Notre Dame hopes that either Knight or Bachmeier can be that kind of leader in the 2025 class.

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Irish Breakdown Content

2023 Scholarship Chart
2023 Football Schedule

Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers

2024 Commit Rankings - Offense
2024 Commit Rankings - Defense

2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Offense
2023 Recruiting Class Grades - Defense

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