Mr. Marcus Freeman isn’t in the business of rushing greatness. With Notre Dame’s spring ball in full swing and the quarterback room as deep as it’s been in years, the head coach made one thing clear—he’s not naming a starter until the picture sharpens itself. “When there’s a clear starter, we’ll name one,” Freeman said recently. “I’m not sure when that will be.” It’s the kind of answer that reads two ways, depending on which side of the Irish fanbase you ask. Optimists see healthy competition; skeptics see indecision. Either way, it’s clear Freeman isn’t ready to hand out the keys just yet.

The positive interpretation is that the QB1 carousel in South Bend is spinning with no signs of slowing. Steve Angeli, Kenny Minchey, and freshman CJ Carr are the top contenders, with Anthony Rezac and Blake Hebert still in the conversation. Marcus Freeman praised all five for steady improvement, leaving the door wide open for a spring or even fall decision. “He’s much improved,” Freeman said when asked about his legacy QB, Carr. “He’s done a good job—as all three of them have all. Blake has done a good job. They’ve all improved, and that’s all you ask them: each of them improve, and they really are.” Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and QB coach Gino Guidugli have their hands full, juggling raw talent, game reps, and leadership intangibles in every rep.

What makes this competition particularly compelling is that it’s not just close—it’s layered. While Angeli brings experience to the system and Minchey offers mobility and poise, the buzz around the redshirt freshman, CJ Carr, is growing louder by the day. Carr hasn’t taken a collegiate snap yet, but his prep résumé speaks volumes. Over 8,100 yards and 78 touchdowns in high school made him the No. 6 quarterback recruit in the 2024 class, and it’s not just the stats—it’s how he delivers the ball. Arm talent that leaps off the film. Spirals that slice through tight windows. A flick of the wrist, and the ball’s already at the receiver’s numbers.

Greg McElroy knows QB play, and his access inside the Fighting Irish program during their playoff run gives his analysis extra weight. On a recent ESPN College Football Show, he didn’t hold back when describing the freshman’s upside. “CJ Carr is extremely gifted as a thrower—extremely,” McElroy said. “You watch him throw, the way the b— comes off his hand, the way he can turn it over—the tight spiral, pinpoint accuracy.” McElroy highlighted a practice rep that stuck with him: “The goal was to throw it just underneath the upright… great velocity, great spin, very catchable for the opposing wide receiver.” Not exactly run-of-the-mill freshman praise.

Still, McElroy brought a dose of perspective. Tools are only part of the equation. Carr might win a passer skills competition on talent alone, but game-day leadership, situational awareness, and composure under pressure matter just as much. “If I want to go win a quarterback skills competition, I probably last year would have taken CJ Carr over not just Steve Angeli but you know who I also probably would have taken him over—Riley Leonard, who took Notre Dame to the National Championship,” McElroy said. That kind of comparison says a lot. But it also underlines how difficult it is to evaluate quarterbacks without the chaos of live bullets.

The negative interpretation is that the quarterbacks are all struggling and none have stood out as a potential starter. So where does that leave Notre Dame’s quarterback room heading into the heart of the offseason? On the surface, it’s a five-man race. In reality, it may come down to how fast Carr bridges the gap between pure talent and field command.

The Great Irish QB roulette: Marcus Freeman’s search for ‘The One’ rolls on

Notre Dame fans are feeling the tension—and not the good kind. With no clear QB1 emerging yet, it’s easy to lean into the negative: Are all the quarterbacks struggling? Has nobody stepped up? Fair questions. But Marcus Freeman sees it differently.

“The QBs have handled it perfectly,” Freeman said. “They’re helping each other out, getting mental reps when they’re not in there.” That kind of camaraderie and maturity is rare, especially in a position battle this intense. But let’s be real—mental reps don’t win games in South Bend. So where does this leave the Irish quarterback room heading into the meat of the offseason?

Well, don’t count out veteran Angeli. He’s got game experience and has flashed some real potential in his limited appearances. That alone could give him a slight edge. But here’s the deal—no one has convinced Freeman, OC Denbrock, or the coaching staff that they’re the undeniable No. 1. Not yet. The good news? The staff isn’t in panic mode. They’re letting the process breathe, letting competition do its thing.