In 2023, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish went 10-3 with Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman under center. This season, they’ve gone 12-1 and are in the thick of the College Football Playoff race with Duke transfer Riley Leonard at the helm.
Despite the success with veteran stop-gap QBs, head coach Marcus Freeman believes it’s time for a change.
What Does the Notre Dame QB Room Look Like Ahead of the 2025 College Football Season?
During his Wednesday, Dec. 4 media availability, Freeman said, “We have no plans on going to the transfer portal for a quarterback.” That’s quite the departure from the program’s recent maneuvering at the position, but it’s for a good reason: the Irish believe in their recruited talent.
“I feel really strong about the guys we have in our quarterback room right now with Steve [Angeli] and Kenny [Minchey] and CJ [Carr]. All possess different talent. All do things well. All have areas of improvement like we all do, but I feel really strong about the quarterback room as a whole,” Freeman explained.
While the winter portal closed to non-graduate students on Dec. 28, the spring window opens on Wednesday, April 16. Thus, if Notre Dame’s belief wavers, it can still bring in reinforcements prior to the start of the 2025-26 season. But for now, here’s who the Irish are slated to roll with in the backfield.
Steve Angeli (Redshirt sophomore)
First up: current backup Steve Angeli. The redshirt sophomore is the most experienced QB slated to return in 2025, having completed 52 of 72 career passes for 728 yards, 10 touchdowns, and just one interception. As a result, he’ll likely have the first crack at earning the starting nod.
During his tenure at Bergen Catholic High School in Westfield, N.J., Angeli was, dare I say, angelic. As a senior team captain, he led his team to a 12-0 record, the Group A New Jersey State Championship, and a top-four national ranking. To do so, he completed 68% of his passes for 15 TDs and only two INTs, earning all-state honors.
Kenny Minchey (Redshirt freshman)
A consensus four-star recruit in the 2023 class, Kenny Minchey hasn’t received much playing time in his young collegiate career. However, he’s flashed in his limited reps, connecting on all three of his pass attempts for 16 yards while rushing twice for 12 yards and a score.
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The Hendersonville, Tenn., native left Pope John Paul II with a 63.2% completion rate, 5,212 career passing yards, and 53 TDs. Despite playing in only four games as a senior, Minchey made the Elite 11 Finals roster and received an All-American Bowl selection.
CJ Carr (True freshman)
Since committing as a four-star recruit in the 2024 class, many members of the Irish faithful have pegged CJ Carr as the future of the program. However, an elbow injury during the season has caused concern for the immediate future. During the Sugar Bowl Media Day, Carr said he feels “95%” and would be ready to go during the postseason if needed, so it appears as though it’ll be all systems go in 2025.
Carr did it all at the high school level — Elite 11 Finals, All-American Bowl participant, three-time first-team all-state, and two championship appearances. Across three seasons of varsity football, he compiled 8,135 passing yards and 94 total TDs. If that wasn’t enough, he also featured on Saline’s basketball team, highlighting his overall athleticism.
Anthony Rezac (True freshman)
With all the hype surrounding Carr — rightfully so — fellow true freshman Anthony Rezac can fall under the radar. The 2023 MaxPreps Nebraska Player of the Year and 2024 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year balled out as a senior, generating over 3,000 total yards and 45 total TDs while leading Westside High School to an unblemished 13-0 record and a state championship.
But perhaps more impressive is the type of person Rezac appears to be off the field. While in high school, he volunteered on behalf of the Special Olympics in association with Westside Unified, was a member of the Heartland Family Service Student League, and became a Youth Frontiers Respect Leader.
Blake Hebert (Incoming freshman)
And now for a player not currently on the roster.
Blake Hebert is Notre Dame’s lone 2025 QB signee. Born and raised in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, he played high school football in Massachusetts. Well-built at 6’3″ and 215 pounds, Hebert originally committed to the Clemson Tigers before flipping to Notre Dame in October.
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Hebert played with current Fighting Irish redshirt freshman Preston Zinter at Central Catholic as a sophomore before transferring to Brunswick. There, he suffered a broken ankle in the first game of his junior season, knocking him out until his senior campaign.
While playing alongside fellow ND commits DB Ethan Long and OL Matty Augustine, Hebert capped off his career with 2,107 yards and 26 TDs, garnering 2024 first-team All-NEPSAC and conference Offensive Player of the Year.
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