The biggest conversation from Saturday’s Blue-Gold Game wasn’t about defensive alignments or the new faces at wide receiver. It was about the quarterbacks. That position room is sizzling with intrigue, and fans walked out of Notre Dame Stadium buzzing about one name in particular—CJ Carr. The sophomore dazzled with a stat line that read like a veteran’s: 14 of 19, 170 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. But stats only tell part of the story. Carr looked composed, calm, and decisive. His release was clean, his ball placement sharp, and for long stretches, he made the scrimmage look like a backyard game. But the question looming over Marcus Freeman’s program isn’t just who looked good in April—it’s who can lead this team into September and beyond.
That’s where ESPN’s Greg McElroy tossed a splash of cold water on the CJ Carr hype train. While acknowledging Carr’s raw talent, McElroy wasn’t ready to pencil him in as QB1. “I don’t know if at this point Marcus Freeman… I can’t imagine at this point Marcus Freeman is gonna go out and endorse CJ Carr as his starting quarterback. I don’t think that’s likely,” McElroy said bluntly on his show. “I think the staff still really likes Steve Angeli, and I think Steve Angeli has done enough in games to warrant this competition going all the way into fall camp.” That’s a tough pill to swallow for those ready to see the CJ Carr era begin immediately, but it echoes the internal battle Marcus Freeman’s likely facing—do you ride with potential or lean into experience?
McElroy wasn’t done, and his praise for Carr came with layers. “CJ Carr is the most talented guy—we’ve known that; that was never to be debated,” he said. “I told you this three or four weeks ago. I told you that the most talented quarterback on Notre Dame’s roster is CJ Carr. That goes without saying. You just watch the ball come off his hand in practice and you’re like, ‘Golly, this guy’s something else, man.’ He can throw it. He can absolutely throw it. Let’s be real—he might very well go into the summer and establish an even wider gap between Kenny Minchey and Steve Angeli and solidify himself as the no-doubt Day 1 starter, future superstar for the Fighting Irish. That could very easily happen. But I just don’t think that’s likely—at least at the moment.” Therein lies the dilemma: Carr may have the highest ceiling, but is Marcus Freeman willing to bet Week 1 on it?
While Carr’s shine dominated headlines, Steve Angeli’s case grew more complicated. An Irish insider pointed out a tough stretch from Angeli in practice last week. When he missed an end zone throw to KK Smith by six or seven yards—sailing it well out of bounds. And yet, when the lights were on in the spring game, Angeli showed enough poise to keep himself in the hunt, finishing 8 of 11 for 108 yards and a touchdown. The issue isn’t whether Angeli can play; it’s whether he can outplay someone with Carr’s upside when the reps really start to matter. But as if two’s company wasn’t enough drama, Kenny Minchey might’ve had the most quietly effective day of them all.
According to Jamie Uyeyama of Irish Sports Daily, who was tracking the day closely—“I think if you were going to say that the best guy on the day was easily Kenny Minchey. I think, by far, he came out with the ones to start it. That’s obviously an advantage… but I think he made the most of it. He handled the pressure the best, and he was the most accurate over the course of the day.” Minchey’s stat line was a mixed bag—6 of 14 for 106 yards and a pick (albeit on a tipped ball), but he also added 12 rushing yards and a score on the ground. That type of dual-threat versatility could turn heads in a room otherwise filled with pure pocket passers.
This is exactly the kind of good problem you want to have if you’re Marcus Freeman—at least until it’s time to name a starter. But Freeman’s decision will come down to more than just numbers on a spring Saturday.
Marcus Freeman on his “three musketeers”
Notre Dame’s 94th Blue-Gold Game is in the books, and while fans got a fun glimpse of what’s to come, head coach Marcus Freeman came away focused less on final scores and more on growth—especially at QB1.
“A lot of good. A lot of teaching opportunities, I’m sure,” Freeman said after practice. “I’m not truly outcome-driven. We had one turnover, and I don’t know if it was the route or the throw, but we saw a lot of good. We saw a lot of good from all three guys and a lot of teaching opportunities that we’ll go back and watch.”
In other words, the tape is going to tell the full story—but the vibes are solid. “It was a reflection on how the first 11 practices have been,” Freeman continued. “Those guys have been battling; they’ve all improved, and they’re all doing some really good things.”
Here’s where it gets spicy—Freeman knows he has a good problem on his hands: too many capable quarterbacks. “It’s crazy to think you have three guys that can all lead this program to a victory and be your starting quarterback,” he said. “You’d like to go into fall with a two-quarterback battle; it’s really hard truly having a three-quarterback battle.” Blue-Gold is done, the learning continues, and Notre Dame’s quarterback future looks bright, though a bit crowded.
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