Marcus Freeman after Steve Angeli departure: 'I believe there has to be one guy'

Following the Steve Angeli departure, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman was firm in saying there has to be one starting quarterback. The idea of two was floated to Freeman during his presser Wednesday, featuring CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey both getting time.

However, Freeman doesn’t like any type of two-quarterback system. One of Carr or Minchey will emerge as the starter rather than both rotating in-season.

Carr was one of the crown jewels of the Class of 2024, a four-star quarterback. He was projected to be a future long-term starter for Notre Dame.

“We’re going to have a starter. … I’m not a huge proponent of having truly ‘two starters,'” Freeman said, via Tyler Horka. “I believe there has to be one guy who’s the starting quarterback.”

Carr doesn’t have an official pass yet, but Minchey has gotten on the field in the last two years. He’s completed three-of-three passes for 16 yards across four games in two seasons.

Either way Freeman is going to have, most likely, an inexperienced quarterback under center for the 2025 season. Fresh off a national championship game appearance, expectations are sky high in South Bend.

“I don’t know when it’s going to be,” Freeman said of a QB decision. “I mean, it’ll be when they kind of determine decisions need to be made, you know what I mean. I’ve always said, like, I don’t truly believe that coaches put a timeline. I think the players kind of decide, um, when decisions need to be made.”

Sometime between now and August 31st, Notre Dame will have named a QB1. As to when that will be, or who it’ll be at that time, though, comes down to who ends that competition between Carr, Angeli, and Minchey.

“As soon as there’s a clear starter, we’ll name a clear starter,” Freeman said. Many will surely be locked into the program to find out.