NOTRE DAME’S QB BATTLE: SPRING GAME OVERVIEW
Brennan McKellar - April 27, 2025
Going into the spring game, Notre Dame had three competitors at the quarterback position: Steve Angeli, Kenny Minchey, and CJ Carr. All three got a good amount of snaps throughout the spring game and it was apparent that this was a true QB battle. The playcalling catered to allow for each quarterback to show why they should lead the Irish into Miami at the end of August for week 1.
However, a decision was made in the football office shortly after the spring game, as Steve Angeli had entered the portal and is now committed to Syracuse. This now leaves Kenny Minchey and CJ Carr to battle in fall camp for the starting job.
Kenny Minchey, who went 6/14 on passing attempts for 106 yards, was much more impressive on the ground. The 6’2 206 pound Sophomore was a fun watch while evading rushing defenders and escaping a collapsing pocket. I was very impressed with the agility of Minchey and despite his passing stats, I thought he had some very good moments putting the ball in the air.
However, his counterpart CJ Carr, a 6’3 209 pound Sophomore from Saline, Michigan, was quite impressive as well. Carr went 14/19 with 170 passing yards and 1 INT in the spring game. Despite the interception, I felt Carr had the best command and understanding of the offense.
His pocket presence was cleaner than Minchey’s and he seemed to be more comfortable in the pocket while also staying in a collapsing pocket a tad longer than Minchey. Don’t get it twisted though, Carr can also move and is still a strong dual threat QB as far as I am concerned.
My Thoughts: Minchey offers more in the run game as an agile running threat, especially when paired with the likes of Jeremiyah Love or Jadarian Price. I am excited to see Minchey’s progression as a quarterback and think he is a very capable player with some growing to do, especially with his comfort in the pocket and deeper throws. CJ Carr, on the contrary, looked like he could be the leader for the job and I would not be surprised if he led the Irish week 1.
I was just more impressed with his pocket presence, the throws that he made, as well as the spin rate and cleanliness of his spirals. His interception just seemed like a messy forced mistake that can certainly be cleaned up with practice and more sound decision making.
I am excited to see this battle progress and how well both players develop before the season starts. The Irish open the 2025 football season on August 31st against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.
