SOUTH BEND — For just the second time in five seasons, Notre Dame football is set to go with a homegrown quarterback in 2025.
Whether the opening night starter at Miami is redshirt freshman CJ Carr or third-year backup Kenny Minchey remains to be seen. But the one certainty is that whoever lines up behind center will be making his first career start.
Advertisement
Steve Angeli’s decision to transfer back east to Syracuse cemented that fact in the days after the Blue-Gold Game in mid-April. Angeli had led the Irish to a Sun Bowl victory over Oregon State to close out 2023 and led the Irish downfield to their first points of an eventual Orange Bowl win over Penn State in last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal.
With three career pass attempts between them — all of those belonging to Minchey — the primary combatants will be challenged at every turn from the start of fall camp on July 31.
“You’re judged on your decision making,” quarterbacks coach/pass-game coordinator Gino Guidugli said. “And that’s got to happen under fire. You’ve got to see that this guy can play with anticipation, that he’s got the answer when the play isn’t there, that he’s got situational awareness.”
‘More like Superman:’ What Notre Dame football greats say about Jeremiyah Love
Advertisement
Freshman Blake Hebert, who joined practice for the final three games of the CFP run, is the third and final scholarship quarterback on the roster. That, however, is a matter of semantics, thanks to the last ride for 2022 Opening Day starter Tyler Buchner.
Now a senior walk-on reserve for both the lacrosse and football teams, Buchner switched his football jersey number from “26” to “10” over the summer. Still listed for now as a wideout, Buchner completed his only pass of 2024 on a fake punt at USC.
Redshirt freshman Anthony Rezac, a fellow walk-on and twin brother of Irish scholarship linebacker Teddy Rezac, stepped in and ran the scout team last fall when Carr was shelved with discomfort in his throwing elbow.
Depth Chart
13 | QB | CJ Carr | 6-3, 210 | R-Fr. (4L)-&
Advertisement
8 | QB | Kenny Minchey | 6-2, 204 | R-So. (3L)
12 | QB | Blake Hebert | 6-3, 225 | Fr. (4L)
16 | QB | Anthony Rezac | 6-3, 202 | R-Fr. (3L)
10 | QB-WR | Tyler Buchner | 6-1, 215 | R-Sr. (1L)
&: Denotes remaining eligibility years
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football moves into a new era at quarterback
