The day of reckoning is finally here. Notre Dame’s spring camp climaxes into the Blue and Gold game in South Bend. For much of HC Marcus Freeman’s roster, the 15 non-contact practices served as a means to shake off any rust and find solace in how the previous season went rather than sulk over how it ended. But for the QB room, it entailed 15 opportunities. 15 trysts with shaping their destiny. Not just for the spring game or the season but potentially for their careers in South Bend. Steve Angeli, CJ Carr, and Kenny Minchey’s tussle for supremacy atop the depth chart meets a massive litmus test.

Marcus Freeman and OC Mike Denbrock aren’t in an enviable position with this conundrum. Identifying and then onboarding Riley Leonard through the transfer portal was one thing. But picking between three inexperienced quarterbacks with a grand total of 1 start between them, all recruited out of high school, is a whole different proposition. What makes things easier, in theory at least, is the variance in time. Class of 2022’s Angeli has spent the most time with the Irish. Carr came through in ‘23 and Minchey a year later. This hierarchy also reflects in the perception within the fanbase and general discourse about how the chips may fall. 

Steve Angeli entered spring camp with a significant advantage. He’d ended the previous season as QB2, even getting crucial minutes in the Orange Bowl. His one drive while Leonard was in the medical tent showed promise. Not only for his ability but also for his mettle to swim when thrown directly into the deep end. But Angeli’s status as the backup QB wasn’t always cut and dry. He only became the standout second in command for Marcus Freeman after CJ Carr injured his elbow very early in the season, keeping him sidelined for the entirety of it. So now that health’s a non-factor, can Carr leapfrog Angeli? He was the higher-rated prospect, for what that’s worth. Plus, that extra 2022 season at the program only goes so far when Denbrock arrived last season. 

With all of this baked into the equation, Notre Dame insider Pete Sampson leveraged his opinion on what CJ Carr stands to prove in the Blue and Gold game. On “The Independent” podcast, Sampson previewed the game and what he wants/expects from Carr. “Nobody’s going to win the quarterback job on Saturday. That’s fine,” he said. “But I think you want to at least see something from CJ Carr, that is like a reminder of like, ‘Oh yes, this is the guy with the most natural ability of any quarterback on the roster.’ So I’m curious to see how that shakes out.” Sampson even alluded to how good Carr showed flashes of this “ability” with a walk-off TD in open practice. Freeman and Denbrock need to strike a balance between talent vs. sheer volume of reps. Carr being rendered unable to throw at all last year really hindered his development.

You’d expect all 3 of Carr, Angeli, and Minchey to share an equal amount of reps in the exhibition game. There are a few reasons why Marcus Freeman will feed into and reap the rewards of the ambiguity of this QB battle. The entire roster, and not just Marcus Freeman’s staff, has the responsibility to make sure there’s a fair opportunity for the contenders. They need to give everyone equal effort. Which naturally increases intensity. Intensity is inversely proportional to complacency.

Coach Freeman sure wants to avoid that “C” word, which can creep in after you just made the Natty. The longer this battle carries on, the better it is for the team as a collective. However, the indecision does become an issue for whichever QBs find themselves down in the pecking order. This is why Freeman and Denbrock’s hand may be forced into announcing the QB1 post-Saturday’s game.

Marcus Freeman and CJ Carr stuck between a rock and a hard place

Suspend any pre-existing notions or disbelief and assume CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey lose out to Steve Angeli, but this isn’t made public until fall. What does that mean for their future in South Bend and beyond? The spring portal opens on April 16th, days after this imminent spring game. If the decision on the quarterback isn’t announced in the direct aftermath of Saturday, Carr could be stuck in limbo. Pete Sampson said he’s got the most natural ability. This is someone who will be a starter at most FBS programs. He may not want to stick around as a backup and hit the portal. But in this scenario, Carr cannot be sure whether to stick or twist. Meaning he could wind up staying and then find out the hard way.

Does Marcus Freeman want this? Of course, he doesn’t want to waste his player’s time and possibly his career. But he’s probably well aware of what delaying his decision means and is still doing it. For a perennial playoff contender such as Notre Dame, a good backup quarterback is a requisite need. Losing Angeli to injury could derail their season if Minchey isn’t ready and Carr is allowed to transfer. This lends to Freeman keeping his cards close to his chest.

As aforementioned, Marcus Freeman isn’t in an envious position here. He’s got to do right by his program, which means one or two of his players will inadvertently get stiffed. All this while, he’s got to make sure the trifecta is pushing each other to be the best versions of themselves. Oh, and he’s got to do this across every position group. That crisp hairline won’t stay so long as he continues dealing with dilemmas such as this cyclically!